MarketWatch.com reported on the post-9/11 costs to the U.S. economy: “These costs can be seen in long lines at airports. They can be found in the budgets of private companies and government agencies that have spent vast sums to beef up security. They’re also evident in struggling industries such as tourism, whose representatives blame tougher rules for a lack of foreign visitors. … Care of veterans, for example, could add up to an additional $1 trillion over the next 40 years, the study estimated. And interest payments on the national debt could take decades to pay off. … Take airlines. Traffic plunged after Sept. 11 and several carriers failed, spurring the government to offer relief. While business has improved, most airlines continue to struggle. The industry has suffered its four worst years in modern history since the 2001 attack.”
– Jeffry Bartash, “9/11 aftermath: Costs still permeate U.S. economy,” MarketWatch.com, Sept. 11, 2011