How does this make us safer?
June 11th, 2007
I took my mother to O’Hare airport the other day.
Because we were coming from Milwaukee we had to leave early to get there in time.
Because traffic was lighter than normal, best viagra pharmacy we arrived hours before the flight.
She hugged us and waved as she went through security.
A few hours later, viagra I got a call.
She’d missed her flight.
She doesn’t travel much and didn’t notice when they changed the departure gate on her.
My question is, check why wasn’t I allowed to stay there at the gate with her?
How does it make us safer to keep family members from accompanying a loved one to the gate?
If we had went with her, we still would have had to go through security…just like everyone else who was going to a gate. Why would we be any more of a threat than any passenger on any flight?
The answer is, we’re not.
This is just another example of “We’ve Got To Do Something Syndrome.”
Terrorist fly planes into buildings? We’ve Got To Do Something! Stop families from walking their loved ones to planes!
Methamphetamines being used illegally? We’ve Got To Do Something! Stop selling cold remedies to people over the counter!
A drug dealer shoots another drug dealer with an illegal gun? We’ve Got To Do Something! Make it impossible for law-abiding citizens to legally carry guns for self-protection.
None of these laws or regulations do a single thing to solve the original problem, and yet the rest of us have to be inconvenienced or even endangered for the sake of We’ve Got To Do Something!
Perhaps we should stop shouting We’ve Got To Do Something everytime something bad happens and start shouting We’ve Got To Do Something That Actually Works!
Entry Filed under: Observations
6 Comments Add your own
1. Owen | June 11th, 2007 at 9:54 am
Not that I disagree, but I believe that part of the reasoning was that disallowing non-passengers from going through security would relieve some of the congestion and allow more time for each passenger to be properly screened. I don’t think the rule is meant to make anything more secure, but to make security faster without requiring even more money to be spent on more TSA folks.
As a relatively frequent traveler, I actually like the rule but purely for selfish reasons. It cuts down on the crowds past security.
2. Administrator | June 11th, 2007 at 10:10 am
I can understand why frequent travelers would be fine with this (I used to fly enough to be a gold member on NWA myself), but it’s a nightmare for anyone who has to send an elderly parent, a younger child, or even a teen on a flight by themseves.
(I know you can sometimes get a pass to accompany a juvenile to the gate, or paid to have them accompanied period, but that is very inconvenient or costly.)
3. Owen | June 11th, 2007 at 10:15 am
I can see that. I bet that if you ask at the ticket counter, you might be able to get a gate pass to accompany her. Just ask your mom to act a little senile :-) They have the power, I believe, to issue gate passes at their discretion.
4. Owen | June 11th, 2007 at 10:22 am
Just fishing around… it looks like from here that you can get a gate pass if the passenger “requires assistance.” That’s vague enough that I would think that it should be pretty easy to do.
http://www.airtran.com/travel-info/security_information.aspx
5. Administrator | June 11th, 2007 at 10:38 am
Thank you, Owen!
Of course, it’s starting to look like you have a little too much time on your hands. ;)
6. BobG | June 11th, 2007 at 11:39 am
I prefer King Log to King Stork.
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