Y'know, somehow this doesn't bother me. You have an enormous problem, protecting the traveling public from terrorist attack, and it has to be applied in such a way that a vital public utility is not overly affected. It also has to be done by a massive bureaucracy, hastily assembled, and grafted onto a system which was never designed to handle it, or a public which cannot tolerate the inconvenience.

You have to expect its not going to run smoothly, that there will be problems, inefficiencies, even injustices. It's a miracle it works at all. The best way to avoid getting tangled up in the bureaucracy is to simply stay away from it.
I haven't flown since before 9/11.

I have no idea how inconvenient flying is anymore. I simply organize my life so I don't need to rely on long-distance travel. When I do travel, I travel by automobile, and I am looking forward to travel by train if I do need to go long distances. Sure, I know everyone can't do this, and someday I may be forced to go somewhere by air. But the point is I'll do my best to avoid it, and if I can't I will put up with it as best I can.

The very idea that we can go anywhere on Earth in about 72 hours is fantastic enough as it is. As for the irritations and confusion, whether caused by fear of attack or the financial troubles of the airline industry, or by bureaucratic stupidity at the corporate of governmental level, they seem a small price to pay for that ability.

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