David Frum is not very happy either and labels the increased security measures around airports as perverse, as indeed they are. Of course, he has considered a solution:

Another approach: Perhaps if you fly often from New York to London, you might be willing to volunteer a whole mass of information to British Airways in return for a "trusted traveller" card that will allow you to walk on the plane with minimal fuss. Your name might be Omar Abdullah, but if they know that you are 57 years old, director of the Middle East collection at the Metropolitan Museum, own an apartment in Manhattan and a brokerage account at Merrill Lynch, carry a Visa card with a $50,000 limit, fly to London six times a year with tickets paid for by the museum, and so on and so on ... well, they can pretty confidently let you on the plane with minimal formalities.

Nice idea, but it only addresses a part of the problem and I can already picture the abuse and the rapid proliferation of forged “trusted traveler” cards. In the meantime, innovation in the airline industry proceeds swiftly, here is an example of one that has venture finance backing and this one in particular appears to be addressing the affordability aspect:

The Eclipse 500™ is the revolutionary twin-engine jet that's making private jet ownership a reality for more people than ever before. Through innovative technology, modern manufacturing techniques, and pricing models aligned with the high-tech industry, the Eclipse 500 is the lowest price very light jet (VLJ) available, yet features more performance, lower operating costs and the most advanced avionics and electrical system in its class. If owning a jet has been your dream, wake up and smell the jet fuel.

For a mere $1.5 million it's yours, no kidding.