Ten years ago, a wave of unprecedented attacks on the US changed the world’s political landscape beyond recognition and ushered in seemingly irreversible changes to the way we travel.
To mark the 10th anniversary of those events, Travel Weekly asked industry bosses and our own editorial team to recall what they were doing on September 11, how they reacted and what they believe the lasting impact has been.
Mike Greenacre
Managing director, The Co-operative Travel
Where were you when you heard about the attacks?
I was driving north on the M6 near Sandbach when I received a call from David Elstob, one of our co directors in Future Travel, to tell me what was happening. I pulled off at the services to see for myself.
What was your initial reaction?
Complete disbelief that this could actually happen and that the Americans did not shoot the aircraft down before they hit the towers. Trauma, then, over just how many people would be killed.
Finally, I recalled the fact that my wife had eaten in the restaurant on a visit with some girlfriends just four months before this atrocity. I have a picture of the Statue of Liberty that I have taken from the restaurant, I think from the South Tower, which will never be able to be taken again.
What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been?
The overarching impact has been unprecedented changes to security measures, many of which, in my view, have no particular relevance as they are often inconsistent in different countries and different airports.
I believe there were knee-jerk reactions to this attack – understandably so – but I think the time is now right for a comprehensive review of all airport security and some standardisation across the world, to improve safety further but also to make the security process less painful for the 99.99% of passengers who just want to get from A to B.
Alan Lambert
Head of sales, Bourne Leisure
Where were you when you heard about the attacks?
What was your initial reaction?
Complete shock, horror, sadness, devastation and disbelief. Then the reality that life across the globe would never be the same again and that this act would not go without repercussion. Was this a concentrated attack on the US or would we be next?Our call centres have big screens and a constantly buzzing atmosphere and as soon as the news broke the 150-seat call centre went deathly quiet as we watched the screens in complete silence. We had calls queued up that just dropped away as the news reached people round the country.
Conversations and relationships in the call centre immediately switched from professional to personal, empathetic and supportive. Slowly the call centre filled up from around the business as everyone moved into the sales areas to be together and support one another during such a horrific time.
What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been?
An increased fear of air travel. There was always the fear of mechanical failure at the back of people’s minds, but the western world never really thought the threat of terrorism would actually be taken against them. Both the consumer and the industry are a lot more vigilant when it comes to travel.John McEwan
Abta chairman and Advantage Travel Centres chief executive
Where were you when you heard about the attacks?
What was your initial reaction?
One of disbelief. It seemed surreal and it could have been a film except it wasn’t and the reality of the horror of it all set inWhat has the long-term impact on the travel industry been?
Long term it has not really affected our desire to travel. However, the act of getting to our destinations is more problematic because of security measures. We have also become much more aware of personal safety whilst in foreign destinationsMiles Morgan
Owner of Miles Morgan Travel
Where were you when you heard about the attacks?
What was your initial reaction?
My initial reaction was that it was like watching a film. It could not be happening. The plane was going into the building and that’s what you see on a film.What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been?
One of the things it has definitely done is made travelling less fun because airports have now become the bane of most people’s lives. The added security made travel quite painful and when you are travelling with kids it’s even harder.It has also hardened people’s attitudes to travel. People have become more resilient and bounce back to destinations and resorts because, sadly, these type of events have become more run of the mill.
When you are doing your business plan for the year you have to factor in something like this happening, whether it’s a civil uprising, terror attack, ash cloud or tsunami.
Lee Hayhurst
Travel Weekly Group head of news
Where were you when you heard about the attacks?
I had this feeling they must be watching something important, so wandered in to have a look. The first plane had already hit the World Trade Centre and as I watched the second one hit minutes later. Shocked, we stood there for the next three or four hours unable to prise ourselves away from the screen.
What was your initial reaction?
That this was no accident, as the newscaster on BBC World was still suggesting, and that world war three was about to break out, and that we were in the middle of nowhere, a long way from home and with many miles and flights to take ahead of us.Also, to check that our flight to Sri Lanka in just two days’ time would leave. Anger that anyone could feel they had the right to carry out such a brazen, horrific attack on innocent people in particular and on western democracy in general and utter amazement that the two biggest buildings I’d ever seen (I’d been to the observation deck at the top of the south tower on a previous visit to New York) could be obliterated with such apparent ease.
What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been?
Clearly the most direct impact has been on airport security, as well as on other forms of transport. Measures have become ever more sophisticated and, unfortunately, time-consuming, particularly compared to those implemented in the days after the attacks at Trivandrum International Airport which consisted of marching all passengers on to the tarmac to physically identify their luggage before the bags were allowed on the aircraft.Other than that I like to think that for a significant number of people the attacks had the exact opposite effect than that which the perpetrators hoped for, and that they are now more interested in understanding and embracing each other’s cultures and traditions and are actually more inclined to travel to visit those regions of the world from where the terrorists originated.
Darren Panto
Sales director, Mosaic Holidays
Where were you when you heard about the attacks?
What was your initial reaction?
I thought it was a film initially, and it was a good minute or so before I realised it was for real. My immediate reaction was to cover my eight-year-old nephew’s eyes as this was something big, a real life atrocity. I also guessed it was terrorists straight away, as this was the second plane, and started thinking about the poor people inside those buildings.Also, were more to follow? Was this about to happen in London now, and who do I know working in New York? It was sickening to subsequently see certain people around the world celebrating these events.
What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been?
Judging by the popularity of the Arab countries as tourism destinations from the UK, this does not seem to have had a long term impact. Clearly, travel by air has been the most affected, with the perils now very clear, and the lengths that terrorists will go to. This is not so new – the PLO and Libyan terrorists have been doing it for decades, but it was usually hijackings rather than suicide murders.Travelling through airports is now not an enjoyable experience with the heightened security and restrictions, but one that has become necessary. It is not such a high price to pay for safety and we cannot let terrorists with no respect for life win. Those who complain about airport security measures have clearly been unaffected by these events and do not realise the true extent of the dangers, even now.
Juliet Dennis
Chief reporter, Travel Weekly Group
Where were you when you heard about the attacks?
What was your initial reaction?
My first thought was about the people inside the building. How many were inside and had they managed to get out? The news coverage focused entirely on the planes rather than the lives being lost.It was only later we started to get reports of the lives lost and saw pictures of people throwing themselves out of the building. After the news sunk in, we began to wonder about the repercussions for the travel industry, but at that stage we had no idea just how serious it was.
What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been?
Without a doubt the attacks put airport security under intense scrutiny and that has had a lasting impact, which is still very relevant today. The attacks made us all less blasé about air travel, more aware of how vulnerable the industry is and the importance of security. For some, the time it now takes to get through airport security has been so off-putting it has led to other forms of transport becoming more popular.Steve O’Loughlin
Head of sales, Western & Oriental
Where were you when you heard about the attacks?
What was your initial reaction?
I think we all watched amazed and thought that the UK would be next or where was the next target. I have never experienced shock and silence like it.What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been?
I think initially the public were scared to travel but then I think worldwide there was a feeling that we must stand together and not be beaten by people like this. It certainly affected the industry as when business slowed down, sadly, friends and colleagues lost jobs. But, as we always do in this industry, we bounced back and business picked up.Ian Scott
Director, Government of Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing
Where were you when you heard about the attacks?
What was your initial reaction?
I had boarded the flight before the towers had collapsed so I was unaware of the full extent of what had happened until I landed in London. I flew believing that there had been a horrific accident, and spent time on the flight thinking of who I knew in New York to message when I got home. On arrival in London, I remember picking up frantic voicemails from my wife updating me on the collapse of the towers – one of her friends worked in the World Trade Centre and died that day.What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been?
Air travel is unlikely ever to be the same again. Whilst people will still choose to travel by air the airport experience is today, in most instances, a stressful one – especially at the larger, busier airports. Perhaps one source of stress is that, ten years on, there is still a lack of consistency between the security measures at one airport compared to the next.Victoria Sanders
Managing director, Teletext Holidays
Where were you when you heard about the attacks?
I was working for Air New Zealand at the time and was in Jersey doing a consumer roadshow. My initial reaction was that of pure horror and dismay that people could be so vindictive and callous.
What was your initial reaction?
After the shock, the practical implications of this kicked in and we had to cancel all flights to LA and help rearrange flights for thousands of passengers.What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been?
I don’t think this particular incident has had any long term effects on travelling to the US, from a UK consumer perspective. I think people are generally more aware of the people around them though and the only long-term disruptions are those now created by enhanced security measures at airports.Paul Melinis
Director of sales, One Stop Touring Shop
Where were you when you heard about the attacks?
What was your initial reaction?
It was unbelievable. Everyone’s mobile phone was ringing and the park cleared in moments. We had an agent who had close family working in NYC so obviously she was desperately trying to contact them.What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been?
Initially I think travellers were frustrated with the amount of time added to the airport experience as a result of the extra security checks put in place afterwards. Now that we’re used to it, and online and mobile check-in are speeding things up, I think consumers appreciate the added feeling of safety and security, not just when travelling but across everyday life.Jack Leaf
Travel Counsellor and Travel Weekly Cover Star
Where were you when you heard about the attacks?
I was in work at All Abroad in London. My ex-partner called from the street to say he was passing a TV shop and he was astounded at what he was seeing happen on through the window and had I heard? Whilst he was speaking to me, the second plane went into the tower.
What was your initial reaction?
We just couldn’t believe what was happening. We were due to visit his sister in Dallas on September 19th and luckily for us that was the first day that BA flew back into Dallas. The mood in Texas was amazing. We realised all the Americans wave flags “In God We Trust” and the terrorists in the Middle East shout “Allah Akhbar” and the likes of us are stuck in the middle just trying to live a peaceful life.On my return from Dallas, I was told Speedwing / All Abroad would be closing on October 31 and since I only joined them from Longwood Holidays on August 26 I was ‘invited’ to leave immediately.
What has the long-term impact on the travel industry been?
Long term there is no pleasure to the airport experience, rules are not uniform from airport to airport, sometimes you bleep sometimes you don’t, belts and shoes – shall I take them on or off? Duty free confiscated in transit between flights, even though unopened and in a sealed bag. I think we still travel and have become immune to some of the dangers but the actual journey to get there is no pleasure. Hats off to London City Airport which has done its level best to restore that enjoyment.