Originally Posted by whirledtraveler
What I want to know is: how valid is that "rule" that you can't be in the secure area w/o a boarding pass even if you are connecting flights through the terminal and will get one at the gate. It sounds like utter BS.
Not valid at all. There is no such rule. Connecting pax, airline club members, arriving pax (who want to hang around a while) may all use the sterile area without an onward boarding pass.
You were right - complete BS.