Sunday was a lovely day for an unsupervised walk on the tarmac
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2001
Programs: IHG Diamond, HH Diamond, BW Diamond Select, Accor Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 4,227
Sunday was a lovely day for an unsupervised walk on the tarmac
Given the emphasis on so-called security in the USA these days, I would never have guessed that my first chance to wander unescorted around the planes at a major commercial airport would be at IAD yesterday.
On arrival into IAD from JFK, FlyingPenguin and I waited quite some time for gate-checked baggage to appear. Once we had everything, including her manual wheelchair, the nearby security guy told us there was nobody to escort us into the terminal, so we could just walk down to gate C30 to get into the terminal. It was a lovely day for a walk on the tarmac, so we wandered, totally unaccompanied among the parked CRJs, from C22 to C30, dodging the baggage trucks that came by every so often.
When we got to C30, we were allowed inside and went off to wait for our next flight, a 777 to Denver.
On arrival into IAD from JFK, FlyingPenguin and I waited quite some time for gate-checked baggage to appear. Once we had everything, including her manual wheelchair, the nearby security guy told us there was nobody to escort us into the terminal, so we could just walk down to gate C30 to get into the terminal. It was a lovely day for a walk on the tarmac, so we wandered, totally unaccompanied among the parked CRJs, from C22 to C30, dodging the baggage trucks that came by every so often.
When we got to C30, we were allowed inside and went off to wait for our next flight, a 777 to Denver.
#2
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Houston
Posts: 8,956
Oh, but see you were screened for prohibited items at JFK, so you couldn't do any harm. However, I am very concerned if this happens after December 22 since certain tools will be permitted. No telling what kind of damage you might do.
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2001
Programs: IHG Diamond, HH Diamond, BW Diamond Select, Accor Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 4,227
Originally Posted by ND Sol
Oh, but see you were screened for prohibited items at JFK
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 38,410
Originally Posted by Kremmen
On arrival into IAD from JFK, FlyingPenguin and I waited quite some time for gate-checked baggage to appear. Once we had everything, including her manual wheelchair, the nearby security guy told us there was nobody to escort us into the terminal, so we could just walk down to gate C30 to get into the terminal. It was a lovely day for a walk on the tarmac, so we wandered, totally unaccompanied among the parked CRJs, from C22 to C30, dodging the baggage trucks that came by every so often.
When we got to C30, we were allowed inside and went off to wait for our next flight, a 777 to Denver.
When we got to C30, we were allowed inside and went off to wait for our next flight, a 777 to Denver.
From a security standpoint, though, I see no risk. You couldn't have planned ahead to take advantage of the opportunity so what evil could you do out there? It's the same as the no unaccompanied baggage rule--the *AIRLINES* are free to separate your bag from you but if you try to separate yourself from your bag they won't permit it.
#5
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,165
I had a similar experience at none other than DCA itself within 18 months of 9/11, when you couldn't sneeze at that airport without attracting attention.
Got off a COEx flight that arrived late in the evening...it was dark out, so any one of us could have slipped away. We waited a long time for our bags...then the crew disappeared. I ended up leading my fellow pax across the ramp to a door that I remembered by memory I could open and get upstairs to the departure level. It was a fairly ridiculous scene with passengers walking about checking out the planes. Aside from the security issue, someone could have bumped into something in the dark and gotten injured - and it was winter, so parts of the ramp were quite slippery.
Makes me thankful I had to take off my shoes at the checkpoint
Got off a COEx flight that arrived late in the evening...it was dark out, so any one of us could have slipped away. We waited a long time for our bags...then the crew disappeared. I ended up leading my fellow pax across the ramp to a door that I remembered by memory I could open and get upstairs to the departure level. It was a fairly ridiculous scene with passengers walking about checking out the planes. Aside from the security issue, someone could have bumped into something in the dark and gotten injured - and it was winter, so parts of the ramp were quite slippery.
Makes me thankful I had to take off my shoes at the checkpoint
#6
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: IAD
Programs: GS MM United, Hilton Diamond, ICH Gold, Mariott Silver, TWA Plat MM (just for old times sake)
Posts: 323
Originally Posted by Kremmen
Given the emphasis on so-called security in the USA these days, I would never have guessed that my first chance to wander unescorted around the planes at a major commercial airport would be at IAD yesterday.
On arrival into IAD from JFK, FlyingPenguin and I waited quite some time for gate-checked baggage to appear. Once we had everything, including her manual wheelchair, the nearby security guy told us there was nobody to escort us into the terminal, so we could just walk down to gate C30 to get into the terminal. It was a lovely day for a walk on the tarmac, so we wandered, totally unaccompanied among the parked CRJs, from C22 to C30, dodging the baggage trucks that came by every so often.
When we got to C30, we were allowed inside and went off to wait for our next flight, a 777 to Denver.
On arrival into IAD from JFK, FlyingPenguin and I waited quite some time for gate-checked baggage to appear. Once we had everything, including her manual wheelchair, the nearby security guy told us there was nobody to escort us into the terminal, so we could just walk down to gate C30 to get into the terminal. It was a lovely day for a walk on the tarmac, so we wandered, totally unaccompanied among the parked CRJs, from C22 to C30, dodging the baggage trucks that came by every so often.
When we got to C30, we were allowed inside and went off to wait for our next flight, a 777 to Denver.