Of course. http://www.tsa.gov/press/releases/20...ease_0104.shtm and check on the 1st page under "screener checkpoints"

"Only ticketed passengers are allowed beyond the security checkpoints. (Arrangements can be made with the airlines for non-travelers accompanying children and travelers needing special assistance to get to the gate.)"

Far too many people are afraid of enforcing rules as to upset a customer. Excuses are "repeat customer, high yield customer..." all they are, are excuses. The policy is pretty simple, we are an extremely regulated industry. When a government agency that regulates you sets a rule, fear of upsetting a customer should not factor in to the decision. While some internal reules are meant to be broken, regulations are not, except where allowed in the regulations.

Too many times have I seen a supervisor let onboard an obviously intoxicated passenger, rationalizing in their own minds that they most likely will not cause harm to others. The regulation that governs this is very simple, "it is unlawful to board any passenger that appears intoxicated", yet mgmt does so quite often coming up with reasons that are not in the code to justify such actions.

Too many people are afraid of the paperwork that might be involved, taking the easy way out instead of following the written procedure. I'm sure if the govenments stopped regulating airlines, it would be OK for UA to interpret their own rules to best fit individual situations, but in the meantime, an airline is obligated to follow the laws and regulations, not do what seems easiest for them.

4.5 years ago, the TSA did a test ( http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/...sa_x.htm?imw=Y ) since then, I haven't seen any expansion of this policy, and 4.5 years is the the time the TSA had this rule to the point of the test, and the same quantity of time since the test until now. If they haven't changed the policy based on the test results by now, it will take something else to make them change it in the future.