Checked baggage poses less of threat in the air because a bomb packed in luggage would need a sophisticated timer, said Jeffrey Price, who writes about aviation security as a professor at Metropolitan State University in Denver. A bomb in checked baggage could explode prematurely, while the plane was still on the ground, if the flight were delayed or if a baggage handler inadvertently detonated or disarmed it with rough handling, Price said.
“While a bomb in checked baggage can bring down a flight, the possibility of the detonation decreases as the bomb has to include either a timing system or a barometric pressure trigger — both of which add to the complexity of the device," Price said. “When bomb and bomber are together and the device is command detonated by the bomber, there is less margin for error."
Andrew Thomas, who is editor in chief of the
Journal of Transportation Security and an associate professor at the University of Akron, said screening for checked luggage is also better suited for finding explosives than passenger screening, which is under constant pressure to keep people moving.
“Passenger screening is about convenience and about moving people through, as well as security,” Thomas said. “Checked-bag screening is really about security.”
A bomb in the cabin or cargo? Experts explain the electronics ban on planes
