In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks at Brussels airport – an airport used every day by our national airline and frequented by many of our citizens who work in Belgium – it was inevitable that security would be sharply increased at airports across Europe. These attacks have once again focused on the question of how we can prevent suicide bombings without surrendering to fear.

The hijackings and plane bombings of the 1970s and 1980s and of course the 9/11 attacks of 2001 led to increasingly stringent security procedures at airports worldwide. These increased security measures made flying safer, although the danger of human error, negligence and sabotage can never be eliminated.

Last October, for example, a bomb was planted on a Russian passenger plane which exploded over the Sinai Peninsula killing all 224 people on board. And two weeks ago a man claiming to be wearing a suicide belt (which turned out to be fake) hijacked an Egypt Air flight from Alexandria to Cairo, forcing the pilot to divert to Cyprus.

The suicide bombers in Brussels did not board a plane and probably chose their targets – the departures area of the airport and the metro – because they were easily accessible and crowded.

The truth is that there can be terrorist attacks anywhere and it is not possible to make airports, subway stations or other crowded places 100 per cent safe.

What we can do is our best to make these places 100 per cent safe and be on our guard at all times, including when such terrorist attacks seem unlikely. We cannot afford to let our guard down, ever.