DFW.com: Soldiers’ families allowed past airport security
Families of soldiers returning to Iraq will be allowed to accompany them to the gate at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, but federal officials may not be able to put the change in place by Saturday morning.
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“The TSA holds military families in the highest regard,” TSA spokeswoman Andrea McCauley said Friday evening. “We’re doing everything we can do to coordinate these complex security procedures with the various entities and we’ll do the best we can to have it available tomorrow (Saturday), but there’s no guarantee.”
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At the prodding of Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, the TSA issued a directive to its airport security directors to let military family members pass through security without tickets.“I am grateful for TSA’s quick and positive answer to my request,” Hutchison said late Friday.
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Since Sept. 11, 2001, persons without tickets have not been allowed through security, with the exception of people accompanying small children, senior citizens and handicapped passengers. The move constitutes the first major exception granted to non-ticketed people since the terrorist attacks.
This is pandering, but to a really worthy, and low-risk group. Airports are built to house people after security, not outside the checkpoints (as anyone who is meeting someone and needs either a bathroom or a snack knows).
Maybe we’re getting ready to go ‘back to normal’ and let us see grandma off at the gate.
The Grandmas of America will appreciate this!
finally some common sense…
Actually, I think this has more to do with good ol? American capitalism than patriotic sympathy – not that I?m against that.
?At the prodding of Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas.? Who was probably ?prodded? by Airport management, merchants, restaurants, souvenirs shops, booksellers, etc.
Guess what? There really isn?t any increased threat incurred by letting Grandma, Bubba, junior, et al past the checkpoint to see someone off.
The dirty little secret here is that the TSA doesn?t want to be responsible for those long lines that would happen if they let family ? or anyone who wants to ? through the screening points.
That would point out how really worthless most of the TSA procedures are and further highlight how (in my humble, but incredibly informed, opinion) un-American, stupid, and inefficient the whole process is now.
Prior to 9/11 modern airports were designed to maximize the de facto monopoly airports enjoy; the traveler and those coming to see them off or to see them arrive. It ain?t for nothing you?re paying $7.95 for a hotdog and a medium coke. The fees those vendors pay airports are significant and contribute a lot, if not at least as much, to the bottom line as airline fees.
Limiting the clientele to just travelers had to have hurt the revenue of many of those vendors and I suspect they ? airport management and vendors – have been maneuvering behind the scenes to open those gates to every potential customer.
I believe that it?s inevitable the restriction will disappear. After all, TSA is probably the only blocker at this time and is already as unpopular with most Americans as the IRS.
My money?s on capitalism