Originally Posted by
WillCAD
The PIT terminal maps are very schematic, so I don't know how difficult it might be to set up a dedicated departure lane from the international terminal to the non-sterile landside area, but somehoe I doubt that it would be impossible. It's just dumb that they have it set up so that nobody can exit the international arrivals area without being screened.
It's somewhat difficult because the international arrivals hall is on the mezzanine level between the central part of the terminal and the lower level which has the tram to take you to the landside terminal. Once you get to the landside terminal you are still in the secure area. It's kind of like DEN where the main security checkpoint is before you enter the tram. At the time the airport was built, it was a hub for US, so it made sense. Most people were connecting passengers, and the few whose final destination was PIT didn't object to the security procedures at the time. (Before TSA, liquids, shoes, NoS, etc...)
The only way to do it would be to have the "You are now leaving the secured area" signs as you go down the escalators and partitioning the trams such that they drop you off in a non-sterile area. Moving the whole security operation into the central area would be a madhouse though, and it would eliminate the alternate security checkpoint where the former Concourse E used to be.
OP, great job of "opting out". Do you want to fly today? No, I just want to get to my car!
Also, it looks like the screening area after CBP doesn't have a NoS. Is that correct? There are probably so few passengers that it isn't worth it to install one.