He Went to the Airport Just for a Drink. The Internet Imploded

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It was a simple tweet that got over 1,000 replies, 1.4K retweets, 61k “hearts” and over 5.5 MILLION views:

The vast, VAST majority of those responses were to tell the author, Patrick Comiskey, that the guy sitting next to him was most likely BSing him; no one would or could go to an airport, airside – “just for a drink.”

• You need a boarding pass for the day of travel to get through TSA. He’s not doing this — Mark Ardito
• This is not true. Post 9/11 you can’t get through security if you aren’t a ticketed passenger. Either he’s full of s**t, or you are. — Incredible Bulk
• This is completely fabricated — Tanning Salon Don
• How did he get through TSA if he’s not flying? a) You’re trolling us b) He’s trolling you — Jonny Moe
• 

Of course, those of us who travel a lot, and understand the system, know that the “guy sitting net to him” could easily have gotten into the airside of the airport.

Maybe he had a cancelable ticket

If you get a plane ticket with frequent flyer miles, you have the privilege of being able to cancel your flight relatively last minute.

For years, Southwest has allowed passengers to cancel their flights, even those paid with cash. They’d just get a flight credit. With all the changes Southwest is putting into place, being able to cancel is still allowed, but your flight credit now expires after a year.

Maybe he worked at the airport

People who have access to the airside of the airport can easily utilize places typically thought to be for passengers’ use. If someone is an airport employee with the right credentials, why wouldn’t/couldn’t they stop at the airport Chili’s for a drink before they take the train home?

And some people seemed to “get” that:

• I was at that bar on Sunday waiting for my connection. Wonder if he was the same guy at the end of the bar when I was there. Seemingly had all day and no luggage. Lol. — MamaK
• It’s kind of fun hanging out at the airport if you aren’t flying that day. I do that when I’m staying at an airport hotel the day before I fly out. It’s great to eat/drink there and people-watch. — Simone Cromer
• I think airport bars become their own strange little worlds sometimes, and sometimes folks just need a dependable spot to unwind, even if they aren’t catching a flight. I always find those unexpected local hangouts fascinating. — Gelson Luz

Places really worth the effort

Like a lot of people who replied, I’d wonder what was so special about an airport Chili’s. Of course, there could be some parts of the story we weren’t privy to. Is it sort of like his “Cheers” bar, where people know him? Does he know someone who works there and just didn’t mention it? We just don’t know.

That being said, I could see some establishments where more than “guy sitting next to me at the ORD Chili’s” could make a special effort to get there, if they really wanted to. There are plenty of restaurants that might be “worth the trip.” USA’s 10 Best has a list, as does Newsweek, to start. Granted, some of the places are outposts of the original full-service restaurants in town, but not all are. If you want to go to One Flew South or Cask & Larder, there’s only one of each, and they’re at ATL and MCO, respectively.

Or you might be a fan of Tiki bars. Trader Vic’s is a well-known name in Tiki bar culture, and if you live in or near San Jose (or soon, as announced, Oakland), the only Trader Vic’s near you is at the airport.

Was the guy telling the truth?

Who knows, really? We don’t know enough of the story to decide either way. That being said, it certainly IS possible to go airside of an airport, perhaps to visit a location you can’t visit anywhere else in town…or maybe just to go to your local Chili’s.

I’m not judging. 😉

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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary