Flying Out Of Portland

I know it’s been a while.  I kind of get around to posting things when I feel like it these days.  I meant to post right away about my experience flying out of the Portland Jetport in Maine but I didn’t have access to a computer while on my trip and when I got back, I had company and then one thing led to another and then I just never got around to it.

So, today I’m getting around to it.  So there.

I kind of felt it was important to report my observations since at the time of my flight in September, everyone was making such a big fuss about how a few of the 9-11 hijackers originated from the Portland Jetport.  I thought that maybe with that stigma in mind, the Portland Jetport might be extra careful with security.

Pugly and I arrived at the U.S. Airways counter a good two hours early.  (If you recall, I always arrive at least two hours early at every airport due to the fact that no matter where I am going or how well I’ve followed the rules I always end up in some sort of altercation with airport security — I suspect I am considered to be on some list and have been since 9-11 — and that this has resulted in the fact that friends and family will no longer travel with me or even on the same day or airline with me.)

To the clerk at the U.S. Airways counter, I presented my folded up piece of paper from priceline.com indicating that I had purchased a plane ticket online to Cleveland that took me to Philadelphia first.  No one ever asked me for any picture identification.  I did have to present a credit card to pay for the extra carry-on baggage of a dog in a carrier.  (Note:  No one measured the carrier or weighed the dog to determine that either fit the requirements for the flight.)  Comments were made that Pugly was the cutest dog ever seen.

I handed my check-in luggage to the man at the giant x-ray machine and Pugly and I headed upstairs toward the gates.

If you’ve ever been to the Portland Jetport, then you know.  There’s nothing in the Portland Jetport.  Before the Security Gates, you have your choice of a concession stand and a magazine stand.  Pugly and I sat around for a while eating snacks and letting kiddies pet him.  Then we went in the magazine stand and bought a box of Maine salt water taffy for my aunt since we were going to visit her and all.

When we had an hour left, we got in the security line.  Now here, they did ask for an ID.  Pugly had to come out of his carrier.  Women started gushing over him.  Again people started insisting that he was the cutest dog they’d ever seen.

Now here’s what I found amusing.  This was during the height of the “no liquid” scare.  You know, when they were throwing away your lipstick and hand lotion.  My lipstick made it through just fine, but that saltwater taffy that I just bought in the magazine stand a few feet away had to go under extreme scrutiny.  I guess you never know when terrorists will be sneaking saltwater bomb taffy on board.  They actually subjected those taffy to all kinds of electrical and chemical kinds of tests with there big machines that looked like something on  Pinky & the Brain or the old campy Batman shows.

Finally, Pugly, the saltwater taffy, and I made it through.

By the way, I never needed my ID again.  U.S. Airways never did need to be sure if I was me.  I just needed that folded up print-out from priceline.com.  I guess I should be comforted that at least TSA was checking, but somehow I’m not.

What you should know about the rest of the trip is this:

• On the first U.S. Airlines trip, the stewardess didn’t care that the pet carrier was too large to fit under the seat and blocked both myself and the passenger sitting next to me from being able to make any kind of exit in case of an exit.
• At the airport in Philadelphia, I was very frustrated by the fact that it is impossible to buy water bottles or other drink bottles in a size appropriate to the amount of time of your time between flights.  This was during the time when you still could not take pre-purchased drinks on airplanes after the London scare.
• U.S. Airlines employees were not consistent in ensuring that boarders dispose of bottles of fluids before boarding.  The same stewardess would let some board but not others.  For example, I had to dispose of my Dysani but the man ahead of my could bring his Diet Coke.
• On the second U.S. Airlines trip, I had to sit in a row by myself so as to not to affect other passengers with my oversized pet carrier in case of emergencies.
• No one asked me to prove I was taking only my own luggage.

I was very glad that we drove back to Maine.

tags: U.S. Airways, Portland Jetport, TSA, flying, airport security

2 comments

1. on November 8, 2006 at 10:51 am

   Colleen Gleason said:

   Ummm…yikes.

2. on January 13, 2007 at 5:35 pm

   Andrea said:

   I fly in and out of that airport frequently and I always laugh but at the total opposite of your story. I find it funny that I wait in line longer there than in any other airport while they go through a magnitude of security measures (as if they are so bored they have plenty of time.)I can get through Dulles and Atlanta for example faster than “the Jetport.” Just a note though- I don’t mind any amount of security. It’s worth the extra time and effort so I can understand your surprise. Personally I’d be angry.

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