One step behind the terrorists

My mom just got back from a business trip and almost missed her flight home. The airlines changed the gate and no one told her. She sat for an hour and a half at the wrong gate in a terminal with no food. Hungry and wanting coffee, and they'd be boarding soon. When it was time to board, nothing happened. Puzzled, she asked about the flight and was then told she was at the wrong gate. She and several other people made a mad dash to catch their flight in another terminal halfway across the airport. Along the way she passed Peet's Coffee, Wolfgang Puck's, California Pizza Kitchen, damn! They barely made it and some people probably didn't.

A friend of mine told me almost the identical story a few weeks ago, and this happened to me about a month ago. Seems to be a trend. A co-worker of my mom theorized, "The airlines are overbooking every flight, this is their way of trimming off the extra." Those people will miss their flight, get on the next one and there's always a wait list to make sure every flight is full. My friend asked, "Isn't it a security issue to have luggage on the plane without a passenger?" Interesting point.

Why is it, my mom asks, that there's so much security at the airport anyway? Many situations present possible danger for far greater numbers of people. "There are probably more people shopping at the grocery store than sitting on that flight," she says, "and no security there, why not?" I told her it was because since 9-11, we've learned that airplanes can be used as a weapon and kill far more than who is on the plane.

That naturally segued into strategies for better flying. Pack light, bring only a small carry on, wear slip on shoes, forget the jacket and the belt. She tells another story about being scolded for leaving a water bottle in her bag. "What's the water thing all about anyway?" "Well," I said, "we're always very cleverly one step behind the terrorists." We didn't have to take off our shoes until there was the shoe bomber. Then someone supposedly had liquid explosives and now we can't bring water to drink on the plane. Who ever heard of anyone being protected by being one step behind the criminal mind? I don't feel any safer. Especially since I know 100% of the gaps in security are user error.

Last time I was at the airport a woman set off the metal detector when she went through. "Oh," she said, and pointed at her heavy bracelet. "Okay," the guy nods and lets her go. Uh, what? They're supposed to make you take off the metal, put it in the bin and make you go through again. Even I know that! That's the oldest trick in the book. Set off the metal detector, point to a bracelet? Meanwhile, she's got a pistol in an ankle holster. Anyone who's watched a movie knows that one.

I don't know what's behind the last minute switching of the gates but it seems to be going around. Maybe it's some clever ploy to fool the terrorists. Maybe the last terrorist plot was by some guy who talked on the phone and missed his plane when they switched the gate and the geniuses in charge decided to keep that gag running. All I know is this. When you get to the gate, go to the counter and ask a person if it's the gate for your flight to your destination at your time. And don't settle for anything other than yes, yes and yes. Do that and then relax and enjoy the flight!