Rather, most aircraft hijackings are committed to use the passengers as hostages in an effort to obtain transportation to a given location, to hold them for ransom, or, as in the case of the American planes that were hijacked to Cuba during the 1970s, the release of comrades being held in prison.
http://english.daralhayat.com/opinion/OPED/12-2004/Article-20041203-9aa726ad-c0a8-10ed-0079-6e1cf82f337d/story.html
Back in the day, we used to travel without being frisked. In the 1960s however, plane hijacking began, and we started being searched. At first, the planes were highjacked to Cuba.
http://www.ambergriscaye.com/25years/hijack.html
"I've got nothing to lose," he laughed "They want me for killing a cop in Los Angeles, so don't talk to me about second chances. We either all make it or none of us will."