Made an airport run to test out the new crack security measures. The only confusion we encountered was at the security line where one of the crack security workers insisted that I had to accompany Katie and David to the gate. I was under the impression that I was not allowed to accompany them past security, which was okay with all of us, and has been ever since that particular law was laid down after 9/11. No, she said, it's a new FAA rule, promulgated but two days ago, that people under 18 had to be escorted to the gate by an adult. I would need to go back to the Delta counter and get a special pass.
So, I went back. Before you start feeling sorry for me, remember that this is the Fort Wayne airport, which is not exactly sprawling. The people at the Delta counter were ready for me. "You want to go with your kids past security?" they asked.
"Not really," I answered, telling the so-cold sounding truth. But I had a cranky baby, the plane was twenty minutes away from boarding, and it was okay with everyone if I left. The Delta people looked at me, perplexed.
"So why are you here?" they asked.
"Because she - " pointing down to security - "told me I had to. Said it was a new FAA regulation."
They'd never heard of it. They didn't know what she could have been talking about or why.
Meanwhile, some guy who'd been at security, quietly arguing the "Catch-22 the airlines are finding themselves in" was being escorted back behind the check-in desk, for some mysterious reason, or perhaps, sin.
Good to see the airlines have their act together, isn't it?