I wholeheartedly agree. I am physically capable of descending stairs and walking across a tarmac, even in a blizzard. Or bring a bus out to the plane. And I'll be happy to sign a release to the airline beforehand guaranteeing I will not sue them if I trip and fall.

And maybe once in a while we could dispense with ridiculous FAA or TSA rules if it is common sense to do so (a short relevant side story: got diverted once to Peoria airport [very small station]; several hours there; no food at all in sterile area aside from vending machines; a small cafeteria existed outside security, but we were told that TSA regulations prohibited us from coming back in through security if we went outside security, and regulations also prohibited setting up any kind of arrangement where we could order food to be brought to us).