I was flying to Albany, NY to then drive home to Vermont for a girls weekend with my mom and sisters. Braeden was 8 weeks old and I was flying for the first time with him and I was by myself. No biggie I am thinking b/c I have been flying since I was his age! All is great until we get to security!
Now mind you I have no issues with having to go through secrity. It was a year since 9/11 but things in the DC area were still very tense. Anyway, I have him in a snuggly and I stand off to the side, take the snuggly off, stuff it in my bag, take everything off me, put it all in my bag and then walk over to place in on the conveyor belt. So here I am ready to walk thru with my 8 week old.
I know that I am allowed to hold him b/c I have seen it done so many times...well not that day.
The women (who mind you is on the OTHER side of security) says "Hand me your baby please."
Confused moment for Aly...I said "No. I will talk thru with him, thank you anyway."
"No ma'am you must hand over your baby."
And I politely say "No I am sorry but I am not letting go of him."
"Ma'am don't cause a problem here just hand over the baby."
"I am not handing over my child, I am sorry. I want to walk thru with him. I thought that was allowed."
(And damn I wish I saw this coming but I didn't!)
She reaches over and snatches him out of my arms and is already back thru the scanner thingy before I even know what hit me. So of course, I go after her.
"What do you think you are doing. Give me my son."
And what does she do, screams security breach!
So here I am freaking out b/c some women has my baby and the next thing I know there is a gun in my face and my hands are being restrained behind my back. That shut me up real quick.
So to not make a scene (HA HA HA) the National Guard take me and this women, who is still holding my now screaming son, to some office somewhere in the building...I am in those plastic handcuff thingies...to talk this over with a supervisor!
The Supervisor didn't believe me ("Our employess don't behave that way")until one of the National Guard guys said that he believes that IS what happened...so they pull the tape and imagine what they see! I cringed at the force in which this women pulled him from me! And I don't think things would have turned out so well if the guard kept his mouth shut. As they escorted me back, he apologized for not preventing this from happening. I told him it was fine and at least he spoke up when I need someone to!
In the end, I got an apology (whipdedo) and sent on my way, on another flight since I missed mine! Proud girl that I am didn't cry until I got on the plane! But I will tell you that I couldn't stop shaking! Made a formal complaint once I got to Vermont but nothing ever happened with it! They felt that she was just doing her job! Pah!
And now Brian will not leave the security area until the kids and I are safely through it!
Sorry so long winded! So much easier to tell in person! LOL!
Aly