Originally Posted by
SquareDanceGuy
Maybe it's just me, but I have a problem with a service employee inflicting "punishment" on the traveling public, simply because they can. This is not even remotely a "security" matter. ID checkers don't even work for the TSA.
So, if it's not security, then what is it? It's simply a minimum wage employee who, for the first time in his/her life, is in a position to boss others around under the pretense of "security". Some folks cannot resist such a temptation.
Agreed.
FWIW, I was at O'Hare Sunday night. Average flight was delayed about two hours in T3 and there were many cancellations. On top of that, add in the mis-connects from late arrivals as a result of a significant ground-stop at ORD. Flow control held me up for about 3 hours on my inbound.
In addition to it being a Monday morning, I'd be willing to bet many of the pax in the security line had spent the night at ORD as well. The end result was likely a mess (and I understand the weather was still ugly on Monday).
I'd like to see the integrity of the FC and elite lines kept; it is one of the benefits of having status and/or travelling FC. At the same time, I think common sense needs to be used if it is extremely busy. I'm not saying open the floodgates to the elite line, but apply common sense.
Marking the pax for additional security was wrong and just strains the existing resources.
Just out of curiousity, how long did the OP have to wait to reach that point in the security queue? If it was a long wait, I'd say send her through as an exception -- if it was short, the ID checker (line control) should have stood ground and sent the pax to the proper queue.
Sometimes you have to do what is in the best interest of everyone to keep the line going and punishing someone with additional screening is not the answer.
IMHO...