Tennessee ? An airline employee led former Vice President Al Gore and two associates around airport security lines before police spotted the breach and required them to be screened, an airport spokeswoman said Thursday.

The American Airlines employee led the three down to the lower baggage level Wednesday and swiped each of them through a secure turnstile with her security badge, Nashville International Airport spokeswoman Lynne Lowrance said.

An airport officer assigned to escort Gore to his gate was to meet him at the security checkpoint, but Gore never came through, Lowrance said. The officer found Gore, his communications director Kalee Kreider and another staffer waiting at the gate for their flight.

The officer asked them if they went through security, and when they said they hadn’t, they were taken back and fully screened. Gore did not complain and cooperated fully, Lowrance said.