Yesterday, the Wayne County Airport Authority announced that they would be testing a pilot program to allow ticketless access to the secure area of both passenger terminals to greet their families, eat with them before departing, and for aviation geeks to spot within the airport.

Some concerns are an increase in security line wait times, attempts to bring prohibited items through the screening checkpoints, etc.

More information can be found here: https://www.metroairport.com/about-us/d ... ation-pass

Westin guests have been able to access the McNamara Terminal for ages. It's an annoyingly difficult process.

Whenever I need to assist family I just buy a refundable ticket and then cancel it when I leave the airport.

A little more detail here:

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/ ... 053664002/

Limited to 75 persons per day 8:00 am - 8:00 pm Tuesday through Sunday. Pilot program ends January 5, but can be extended.

I can't imagine there will be much impact with 75 additional people going through screenings throughout the day.

TTailedTiger wrote:

Whenever I need to assist family I just buy a refundable ticket and then cancel it when I leave the airport.

You'll get arrested in Singapore if you try that there:

https://people.com/travel/police-arrest ... ot-flying/

TTailedTiger wrote:

Whenever I need to assist family I just buy a refundable ticket and then cancel it when I leave the airport.

LOL...one can be arrested for this @ SIN...IIRC

tjwgrr wrote:

TTailedTiger wrote:

Whenever I need to assist family I just buy a refundable ticket and then cancel it when I leave the airport.

You'll get arrested in Singapore if you try that there:

https://people.com/travel/police-arrest ... ot-flying/

And that's why I don't visit such places. A roll of the dice when it comes to human rights. You never know what might happen to you.

By the way...is this the 4th airport?

PIT, TPA, SEA....and now DTW !

I think anyone with a Known Traveler Number should be allowed airside to meet greet families and friends.

TTailedTiger wrote:

tjwgrr wrote:

TTailedTiger wrote:

Whenever I need to assist family I just buy a refundable ticket and then cancel it when I leave the airport.

You'll get arrested in Singapore if you try that there:

https://people.com/travel/police-arrest ... ot-flying/

And that's why I don't visit such places. A roll of the dice when it comes to human rights. You never know what might happen to you.

It's to do with people trying to buy duty free without leaving the country. There are signs posted everywhere (including as you try to enter the security queue) about how illegal it is to enter the restricted area with no intention of flying. Nothing to do with human rights

This used to be a common thing prior to 2001. Airlines used to give a pass to non-traveler which can be used to go through security. Very useful to drop of aged parents. My memory is sketchy but if you are dropping off an unaccompanied minor, you still can get a pass to go up to the gate. Someone can correct me on this.

bevan7 wrote:

It's to do with people trying to buy duty free without leaving the country. There are signs posted everywhere (including as you try to enter the security queue) about how illegal it is to enter the restricted area with no intention of flying. Nothing to do with human rights

But that issue is easily manageable,because you have to clear immigration and customs to exit the terminal (all inbound flights are international), so would be easy enough to spot people who have purchased duty free without travelling.

I just think the Singapore government likes having lots of rules and regulations. That was certainly my experience for the 6 months I lived there.

LCY55Approach wrote:

bevan7 wrote:

It's to do with people trying to buy duty free without leaving the country. There are signs posted everywhere (including as you try to enter the security queue) about how illegal it is to enter the restricted area with no intention of flying. Nothing to do with human rights

But that issue is easily manageable,because you have to clear immigration and customs to exit the terminal (all inbound flights are international), so would be easy enough to spot people who have purchased duty free without travelling.

I just think the Singapore government likes having lots of rules and regulations. That was certainly my experience for the 6 months I lived there.

And apparently the governments of most countries around the world as very few developed airports allow unticketed passengers past security.

bevan7 wrote:

LCY55Approach wrote:

bevan7 wrote:

It's to do with people trying to buy duty free without leaving the country. There are signs posted everywhere (including as you try to enter the security queue) about how illegal it is to enter the restricted area with no intention of flying. Nothing to do with human rights

But that issue is easily manageable,because you have to clear immigration and customs to exit the terminal (all inbound flights are international), so would be easy enough to spot people who have purchased duty free without travelling.

I just think the Singapore government likes having lots of rules and regulations. That was certainly my experience for the 6 months I lived there.

And apparently the governments of most countries around the world as very few developed airports allow unticketed passengers past security.

. . . but most at least implicitly allow ticketed passengers with no intention of flying past security.

dtw2hyd wrote:

This used to be a common thing prior to 2001. Airlines used to give a pass to non-traveler which can be used to go through security. Very useful to drop of aged parents. My memory is sketchy but if you are dropping off an unaccompanied minor, you still can get a pass to go up to the gate. Someone can correct me on this.

Prior to 2001 you didn't need a pass or anything to go through security. Just get in line.

I don't like this trend at all. The security lines are long enough with just the ticketed passengers. Not to mention no place to sit at the gate.

dtw2hyd wrote:

if you are dropping off an unaccompanied minor, you still can get a pass to go up to the gate.

You can get one for both unaccompanied minors and helping the elderly past security even now. Just talk to the counter. It is at their discretion of course.

tjwgrr wrote:

TTailedTiger wrote:

Whenever I need to assist family I just buy a refundable ticket and then cancel it when I leave the airport.

You'll get arrested in Singapore if you try that there:

https://people.com/travel/police-arrest ... ot-flying/

“Those who misuse their boarding pass to enter into the transit areas, with no intention to proceed to their next destinations, are liable for an offense under the Infrastructure Protection Act.”

He did travel to his next destination, which was back out of the airport exit. His boarding pass just didn't state his next destination. To be even more pedantic, I'm always heading towards my next destination, even if I don't know what it is yet.

As an aside, I live in SE Asia. Human rights haven't been invented here yet. Hopefully customer service wont be far behind them.

TTailedTiger wrote:

tjwgrr wrote:

TTailedTiger wrote:

Whenever I need to assist family I just buy a refundable ticket and then cancel it when I leave the airport.

You'll get arrested in Singapore if you try that there:

https://people.com/travel/police-arrest ... ot-flying/

And that's why I don't visit such places. A roll of the dice when it comes to human rights. You never know what might happen to you.

You're missing out on a great City - but remember, you go through outbound Immigration at SIN, which is part of the reason it's prohibited. It's not just a screening checkpoint.

At US airports, because international departures happen in the same area as domestic departures, duty free purchases are delivered to the purchaser on the jet bridge as they board the aircraft. The duty free shop usually asks to see the boarding pass and collects the flight information so the product can be delivered.

Therefore, non-traveling visitors to DTW will not be able to purchase duty-free items, as they won't have an outbound international flight.

The duty free issue is something I never thought of. Maybe that's why you need a boarding pass to access New Zealand international terminals but not the domestic ones. But since the airside of most large domestic NZ airports are pretty barren not many people want to enter when not necessary.

TPA has gate access, available on Saturday only, between 0800-2000 and limited to 100 persons. I've used it twice to meet arriving friends and visit a family member connecting thru TPA with a long layover.
100 additional people, spread out over a 12 hour span and 1 day a week has had no impact on security line congestion or failure for gate access visitors to not clear security. You have to produce ID at the airport desk to get the special pass to TSA since you obviously have no boarding pass.
A user-friendly program that benefits users, visitor's, airport concessions and the airport parking revenue.
Unless I am flying myself, I don't want to be there on a Monday morning to get a cup of coffee anyway, so likely no impact to those traveling if it was available at other days and hours.
For Avgeeks wanting to look and see, Airside A and F have great food and beverage choices. My favorite is Cigar City Brewing in F.
Short term parking Deck 9 has open 360 degree views of airport and city. It can be hot however, but you can tan quickly and tell everyone you went to the beach!