Research Description:

Discrepancies in Foreign and U.S. Skyjackings

Since the first recorded airplane hijacking in 1947, the United States along with many foreign countries has struggled with the threat of aviation terrorism. Skyjacking has become a method of choice for terrorists as well as other individuals seeking to gain favors from governments that otherwise would pay them no mind. There are several factors that make this method so appealing. It is fairly cost-efficient, it requires a very small number of participants but has the potential of endangering many lives, and it results in a direct threat not only to that airline but also to its home country.

Foreign and U.S. skyjackings have followed a similar pattern over the years with foreign skyjackings generally outnumbering those of the U.S. However, there have been several occasions throughout history in which the number of U.S. skyjackings steeply decreased while the number of foreign skyjackings increased. The most dramatic of these discrepancies occurred around 1987, after a fairly steady decrease in both foreign and U.S. skyjackings. The number of U.S. skyjackings had been rapidly declining since around 1983 and the number of foreign skyjackings had been declining since around 1985. Strangely, in1987, as the number of U.S. skyjackings continued to decrease, the number of foreign skyjackings rose sharply. The number of foreign skyjackings continued to peak until around 1990, and then abruptly decreased over the next few years.

The rationale behind this vast discrepancy in the number of foreign and U.S. skyjackings remains a mystery to this day. The purpose of my project is to provide an explanation for the divergence that began around 1987. I am researching many sources including aviation laws and regulations, historical events, skyjacking records, and other sources that may provide insight into this topic. I hope to discover the cause(s) or factors that may have contributed to the simultaneous rise in the number of foreign skyjackings and decrease in the number of U.S.