Sky marshals were introduced in 1970 , but there were insufficient numbers to protect every flight and hijackings continued to take place . On November 10 , 1972 , a trio of hijackers threatened to fly Southern Airways Flight 49 into a nuclear reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory . As a direct response to this incident , the Federal Aviation Administration required all airlines to begin screening passengers and their carry-on baggage by January 5 , 1973 . This screening was generally contracted to private security companies . Private companies would bid on these contracts . The airline that had operational control of the departure concourse controlled by a given checkpoint would hold that contract . Although an airline would control the operation of a checkpoint , oversight authority was held by the FAA . C.F.R. Title 14 restrictions did not permit a relevant airport authority to exercise any oversight over checkpoint operations . The 1974 film , '' The Parallax View '' , shows an early airport security checkpoint in operation
Southern Airways Flight 49
Southern Airways Flight 49
Airport security