ARLINGTON, Virginia — My wife was surprised to learn that I was headed to the airport on Monday. The next day was our daughter’s birthday, and I had been gone most of the past three weeks. I had not mentioned any travel plans to her, and she was counting on me to cook dinner. Alarmed may be the word.

But I told her I wasn’t flying anywhere. I was headed to Ronald Reagan National Airport to cover an event hosted by the Department of Transportation, titled “Make Travel Family-Friendly Again.”