Always on our minds

    January 4th brings us the fan blades of an MD-11. I work at the airport. I work for a company whose planes were used as weapons against the US on 9/11. People remember many things about that day. Where they were. What they were doing. The images that are burned into our memories.
     What you probably don't think about is those of us that work for these airlines that have think about that terrible event, every day. You see, everyone you come across at the airport, that works for an airline is there for one thing. No, it is not to irritate and stress you out. We are all there to make sure you are safe. I manage an air freight facility for United Airlines. Our number one goal is to make sure each and every piece of freight loaded on those airplanes, is safe. The crews at the terminal are there to make sure that no one gets on a plane with bad intentions. The baggage people are there to make sure no unsafe items get on that plane. The flight attendants are not there to serve drinks, they are there to keep you safe. Mechanics, pilots, gate agents, fuelers, ramp agents are all there to make sure you get where you are going safely.
     We have to keep 9/11 in our minds all the time. We are constantly tested and retested to make sure we are at the top of our game all the time. We can't afford to make mistakes. Not even one.
     If you feel like yelling at an agent at the airport, don't. We get it all the time. We understand that you are under a lot of stress when traveling, but remember why we are there. We are a very eclectic and diverse group here at Kansas City International. But don't be fooled. We are the most focused and safety minded people you will ever meet.
     Our colleagues and friends were killed that day, and we are left with the burden of never letting it happen again. It is a burden which each and every one of us accepts.

Enough of my ranting. If you don't like paying a little extra for fees you think are wrong, think about how scary it would be to fly on an airplane that has not had any of its passengers, bags or freight screened. A frightening thought. This is the day and age we live in. Safety comes first in my mind. Me and my team protect people from terrorists every day. We like what we do and we are good at it. Cut us a little slack if your inconvenienced in any way. And thanks for flying. Buh bye.............