The term "September 11th Security Fee" functions as a compound noun, with "fee" being the primary noun modified by the preceding words. It designates a federally mandated charge collected by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) from passengers on commercial air carriers. This charge was specifically established to fund the comprehensive enhancements to aviation security that were implemented in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Enacted under the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA) of 2001, the fee is applied on a per-passenger, per-one-way-trip basis. The current rate is set at $5.60 for each one-way trip, capped at $11.20 for a complete round-trip itinerary. The revenue generated is legally directed to offset the costs of TSA operations, which include passenger and baggage screening, the deployment of Federal Air Marshals, and the development and maintenance of security technologies at airports across the United States.
In practice, this charge appears as a distinct line item on an airline ticket receipt, clearly itemizing the passenger's contribution to national security costs. It represents a direct user-fee model, transparently linking the financial responsibility for enhanced security measures to the users of the air transportation system. This structure ensures a dedicated funding stream for the TSA's critical security mission, making the cost of post-9/11 safety protocols an explicit component of airfare.
