The world is huge

Don't miss any of it

Travel news, itineraries, and inspiration delivered straight to your inbox.

By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

X

Where are all the air marshals?

A CNN article estimates that fewer than one percent of flights are protected by air marshals. Though the Transportation Security Administration doesn’t make public the number of flights air marshals cover, a number this low suggests there’s a breakdown in the system somewhere.

CNN did its own investigation for this story and spoke with a number of pilots and current and former air marshals—all of whom remained anonymous. Pilots report that they’ve been seeing fewer marshals aboard flights, and marshals themselves say the American public would be shocked by how few air marshals are flying. They also question where the budget is going when the number of marshals is dropping.

The story includes a response by the federal air marshal program, which basically says there’s nothing to worry about. But it rings hollow in the context of the story.

This news won’t do much to help you feel safer while flying, but the hope seems to be that drawing attention to the problem may bring about a speedier solution.

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

Top Fares From