ER uses "FT trick" of getting to gate
 

Tonight's (well, last night's) episode of "ER" had an interesting scene. Dr. John Carter was taking his lady friend to the airport, ORD I think since they're in Chicago. Well Carter sees her off at the security line and as he walks out of the airport, he turns around and heads back inside.

Next scene he's at the ticket counter talking to an airline (I don't remember which airline) ticket agent:

TA: Amsterdam is full, there are no seats available.
Carter: I don't care, any flight! I just have to get to the gate.
TA: There's a first class seat to Tokyo available. It's $9,000!
Carter: <<hands over credit card>>

Later, Carter is walking up to the Lufthansa gate counter to find his lady but the plane has already departed...

...but wait! There she is! She didn't get on the plane...mushy embrace follows.


When I saw that, I thought about how much good info I've learned from FT http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif

Can't say I'm sorry that I've utilized this technique a few times.

I saw that and wondered whether United bothered checking his passport. I guess Carter must carry it with him at all times, while at home in Chicago http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...m/rolleyes.gif.

It was clearly meant to show that Carter would spend unlimited funds to go after the girl. I suspect only a handful of viewers realized his ticket was fully refundable.

BTW, since when does UAL operate a night flight from ORD to NRT?

"You don't have to be traveling to get airside access, you just have to look like it."

"You don't have to actually provide any security to get money and approval from congress, you just have to look like it..."

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"Give me Liberty or give me Death." - Patrick Henry

They (you know who) should of evacuated the whole terminal.

MisterNice

Shortly after 9/11, DEN was allowing passengers to use the "A" concourse security line (at the end of the bridge) only if they were on a flight departing from concourse A. I was on a United flight so was departing from concourse B, and at the time there were no priority lines for frequent travelers. The main security lines were two hours long a the time. I bought a full-ware one-way ticket on Continental to Houston and used it to get into the concourse A line. On my return to Denver, I turned it back in.

I've used the same technique to meet my son and his girlfriend in a concourse as they were connecting in Denver to fly to another city.

Since when is there a separate international concourse at ORD? Carter could have got to the gate by buying a less expensive refundable domestic ticket and this would have eliminated the obvious question of why was he (or wasn't he) carrying his passport.

Glad to see Hollywood noticing the irony. I would love to see West Wing make a bigger point of the lunacy going on in our Airports.

I've been to the international concourse at ORD. I was there in 12/00. And they required a ticket/boarding pass to pass through security then too!

Right--it's terminal 5. All international ARRIVALS go there. However, AA and UA international DEPARTURES leave from the domestic terminals.

I was on El Al. They departed from that terminal. Who says that "Carter" was buying an AA or UA ticket?

Because he was shown in the real Terminal 1, which is only used by UA and LH.

ahhh, see i don't watch the show anymore http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif

Good point, but Pres. Barlett doesn't fly commercial. However, it would be great if there was an opportunity for him to do a rant (similar to the one he's done with religious fanatics) with the head of TSA.

He was shown in an airport in a flashback to his candidacy. Supposedly ORD, and obviously at a Delta gate, but I know those gates, and it didn't look right. When he left, he walked down a long shiny terminal that a Bears banner etc. Obviously Delta at LAX.