Went through airport security twice; at whom should I be annoyed?

In My Humble Opinion
1

As with all minor nuisances, I imagine the answer to this is, “no one; get over yourself.” But I’m curious as to what you folks think.

The other day I flew out to California to visit my parents. JetBlue no longer offers a direct flight from New York to Sacramento, so I had to connect in Long Beach. My trip there was uneventful; I had a two hour layover in the smallest airport terminal I’ve ever seen.

On the way back, I had a 25-minute layover, but based on my previous experience, I figured it’d be no sweat. However, upon arrival in LB, the pilot announced that “a lot of planes came in at the same time,” and we ended up disembarking in the middle of the tarmac, a fair distance from any structures. We were led down a winding path of pylons, through an empty terminal and out to the curb. Those of us with connecting flights were forced to find our way to the JetBlue terminal and go through security again.

While there were enough of us in the same predicament that I doubt JetBlue would have left without us, I was a bit annoyed and puzzled to find myself in a snaking security line (especially since I’m regularly spoiled by short lines in Sacramento and at JetBlue’s new JFK terminal). I’m also one of those people who has to prep myself for airport security, both mentally, and through a careful stowing of pocket items and metal-laden belts, strategic placement of identification and boarding pass, and pre-loosening of the shoelaces. Add to that the sound of “final boarding call for Flight Suchandsuch to JFK,” and some sternly unsympathetic fellow line-dwellers, and I became uncharacteristically panicky.

Anyway, should JetBlue have waited for a real gate to open up, or found a way to lead us into the open terminal and bypass security? Is it even up to them? Is this just a risk I take by connecting at the world’s smallest airport with the world’s longest TSA line? Is this situation common enough that I should purposely avoid booking connecting flights at small airports?

2

For God’s sake you wearing a shroud! You’re lucky they didn’t do a a body cavity search.

3

Long Beach Airport sounds crappy if you had to be lead outside of the security “bubble” only to have to enter through the ‘front door’ to reach your gate. I know of a few small airports that at least have access to the tarmac from the gate area if there’s no jetway available. Did you ask any of the gate personnel before you boarded why you have to go through all that you went through? Sorry to hear about your experience but you do have to right to rant.

4

It doesn’t sound like this was their regular procedure, and the OP already knows the answer to “why.” Asking questions of personnel who may have been pulled from their regular routines as well is a good way to get more screening, not less.

If you’d like to see a real security gum-up, try Atlanta or Heathrow. Or fly internationally with no checked bags. You’ll get to see parts of the airport nobody else will.

5

Did you miss your connection? Or did you only get panicky? Either way, I would write a letter to Jet Blue complaining. Who knows, they may try to make up for the inconvenience.