So why is Carol Anne Gotbaum dead?

The Associated Press reports that Carol Anne Gotbaum died while in a holding cell at a Phoenix airport. As someone who travels a great deal, I am anxious to hear the full story behind this incident. Here is what we know so far:

A traveler who may have accidentally choked herself to death while handcuffed in an airport holding cell was a ”wonderful” woman and mother, according to New York City’s public advocate, who is her relative.

Carol Anne Gotbaum, 45, was arrested Friday at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix after she became irate when gate crews refused to let her board a flight for which she was late, officials said.

The events that led to Gotbaum’s death began when she became irate over not being allowed on a US Airways flight, though she was rebooked on a later flight, officials said.

Officers handcuffed her and took her to the holding room, where she kept screaming, authorities said. They checked on her when she became quiet and found her unresponsive, said Phoenix police Sgt. Andy Hill.

It appears Gotbaum may have tried to get out of her handcuffs, which ended up around her neck, Hill said. A medical examiner will determine the cause of death.

Neither a stun gun nor pepper spray was used on the woman, authorities said.

It used to be fun to fly. You could arrive at the airport a few minutes before the plane was scheduled to leave, board the plane with little fuss and be at your destination in a few hours.

Now you need to arrive at least an hour, sometimes two, before your scheduled departure. You wait in long lines to check in, go through security, and finally to board a plane.

As during one of my flights this summer, you can then wait on the runway for hours, before the airline decides to bring the plane back to the gate to start the process of boarding again.

There have certainly been times when I wanted to throw something, but at the last minute I was stopped by the knowledge that I would not look good in an orange jumpsuit.

So why is Carol Anne Gotbaum dead? I’d really like to know.