Originally Posted by
ESpen36
It doesn't matter what piece of paper you're holding. It matters what the airline computers can evidentiate. If you had just come off another flight, there would be a record in the system. But if you had booked a flight and then canceled it, you no longer would have a legitimate reason for being inside the secured area.
Not sure how much I'd test it, but "I had a valid ticket, decided not to fly today, cancelled it the moment I decided not to fly so that someone else could have my seat, and am [grabbing a coffee/using the lavatory/having a snack/visiting with friends before] leaving the airport" seems like a legitimate enough reason.