Apparently, I'm a Threat to National Security

When our flight was delayed three hours due to "severe weather conditions" in Dallas, the passengers aboard our plan were calmed with the statement: "Do not worry. All flights are being delayed. You will not miss your connecting flight. I repeat: You will not miss your connecting flight."

Why do you LIE American Airlines?

We landed at 10:48 PM; our next flight left at 10:53 PM. That's right. A whopping five minutes to run with our baby in her stroller to the terminal furthest away from us. It will probably not surprise you that we missed our flight. We thought they might hold the plane for us (which has happened before when the airline KNOWS you are there...just stuck on another plane), but they didn't.

What they DID do, however, was offer to give us a "discounted" rate to spend the night in a hotel because the next flight didn't leave for 16 hours. We didn't even get a voucher. Just a discount. Ridiculous.

Well, the real trouble started today- the morning after all the supposed mayhem. I realized the luggage I was asked to check at the gate (because there was no room in the overhead bins) had all of my identification in it. I assumed I would get the luggage back at the end of the flight, but nope; they sent those bags off. My wallet with my driver's license and credit cards was already in Salt Lake City by the time I woke up this morning. Frantic, I called the airline and they told me: "People lose identification all the time. Just come early for a background check and you are good to go." No problem. Easy.

Until I failed the clearance questions....TWICE. After explaining I had only recently changed my name and perhaps all questions should be answered with my maiden name, I was told: "We can find no record of a Cecilia Robbins living at any of those addresses."

Well....I TOLD YOU: "I wasn't Cecilia ROBBINS when I was living with my parents for 18 years!"

And then, I said: "Would I have passed clearance if you had been searching for the answers to these questions, assuming I was Cecilia White?"

"I can't answer that, ma'am."

WELL, WHY NOT!

The best part though came when an airport supervisor was asked to speak to a higher up in Washington, D.C. Again, I failed their series of questions. The supervisor, Latisa, was just as upset as I was. She informed the man that I was a mother, travelling with my baby, and that my husband did have identification (if that would help at all). His response was to ask what I was DOING and how my demeanor was. Really. Umm...let's see. Shifty eyes... sweaty.. nervous... definitely anxious. Yep! What did he think I was doing? I was holding my baby, looking exhausted, and ready to go home.

Well, after failing with TSA twice, the police were called over. They searched me and did yet another background check. This time I passed.

And that's how American Airlines nearly ruined my vacation. I will NEVER fly with them ever again. Beware.