Melbourne, Australia, in 2009.

I was surprised when my client met me right at the gate as I was deplaning.

Adelaide in 2011. It was a blast from the past to see a mother and three kids waiting to greet Dad when he emerges from the jetway.

Any examples outside of Australia?

Wait...I'm confused.

Wouldn't all those bomb-making, plane-crashing, terrorist-lubing liquids cause an issue in the drain, all mixed up like that? Or does pouring them down a drain make them inert?

Yeah, we've addressed that one before. My best guess is that the TSA has a magic substance that automatically renders the explosive liquids inert when you pour them in the garbage can or sink. It's the opposite of the magic liquids that, when mixed together, cause a massive explosion.

Kinda like red kryptonite versus green kryptonite.

Mike

Melbourne, Adelaide - were these the Domestic terminals or the International?

I note that both posters have cited examples of seeing passengers arriving. How was the setup for departures?

Most Domestic terminal in NZ allow non-passengers to approach as far as the boarding gate, but departures on International flights are treated differently.

Australian domestic airports/terminals allow people without boarding passes airside (they still pass through security, of course). You do not need to show ID at security. Arriving and departing passengers are not separated from each other in domestic terminals. Also, the liquids carry on restrictions do not apply on Australian domestic flights (they apply for international flights, of course).

International is a different matter. Domestic and international gates are never in the same terminal. International arrivals are completely separated from international departures (except for international transit passengers, who pass from one area to the other, with further security checks) and only departing international passengers are allowed to pass from landslide through security and Immigration to international airside.