Mike Pence’s airplane scare is a reminder of why protective press pools matter

Concerns about a frightening episode in which Mike Pence's campaign plane skidded off the runway while landing at LaGuardia Airport were quickly assuaged, as journalists aboard the aircraft reported that the Republican vice presidential nominee and all passengers were safe. Had Donald Trump's plane been the one in trouble, news might not have gotten out so fast.

Trump continues to relegate the journalists in his press corps to a separate plane, an unorthodox move for a major-party nominee. The arrangement has frustrated reporters at times, such as when Trump refused to charter a press plane for his trip to Mexico in September and when he gleefully told the crowd at a rally in New Hampshire two weeks later that journalists' flight had been delayed by about 30 minutes and that he would not wait for them to arrive. The separation also means that reporters might not be on the scene in the event of an emergency involving one of the nation's most important political figures.