Turning back after airport security

Buck

Just a question.....
Has anyone ever gone through airport security and decide not to travel and turn back?
I was with friends last night and this question came up.
I 'm sure that it has happened but what door do you get out? You hardly go back through security do you?
Another issue is the duty free, if you get through security you can buy your alcohol etc. in the shop, put it in your bag and then decide not to fly. What would happen then? I'm not sure it would be economical as you'd have to buy your flight ticket but is it possible???

patspost

yes, you can turn back after you go through security.

Nobody is gong to force you to board the plane.
Just go to the security supervisor & say you have changed your mind, no other details needed.

Man Vs ManUre

You can even change your mind if you are on the plane before takeoff. I saw it on Final Destination.

View Profile

Staff just direct you down to where the arriving passengers leave via passport control.
Plenty of people who miss flights exit the same way.

H3llR4iser

At some airports, usually the bigger ones that act as hubs, it's not unusual to have incoming passengers disembarking via the exact same gates the outgoing passengers are going to board the plane through. The latest I've experienced this was in Chicago O'Hare - exit the plane, jet bridge, inside the terminal where people were queuing for their flights, follow the "baggage claim" signs walking past the duty free shops to the exit. Off the top of my mind I've experienced similar situations in Munich, Frankfurt and Newark; Actually it happened a few times in Dublin as well, gates 207-213 in T1 IIRC, I've literally walked past the queue of people furiously trying to bash their oversized trolley in the Ryanair measurement thingie waiting to board the plane I had just left.

So yes, at these all you have to do probably is just walk out with the arriving passengers. You'll want to tell Security and the airline 'though: you'll have to go through passport control (can be problematic if it's not your home country!) and possibly spare other passengers the wait while the gate agents look for you, issue "final calls", then tell the ramp operators to find and remove your suitcase from the hold...

Deagol

Went through security in Shannon a couple of years ago and realised I'd left the company phone in the car. Asked if I could go back for it and no problem, just had to do the whole security thing again.

I've been with a couple of smokers some time ago who wanted to go out for a puff after 1hr flight delay was announced - again, no problem.

As above you just go out the way arriving passengers do.
I imagine it would be a courtesy to tell the staff you aren't travelling so they aren't looking for you. You will have to do this if you have luggage already checked in.

Re: Duty free - you do have to go through customs too so it probably isn't a good idea to try it.

Buck

Thanks all, as I thought you would be able to leave if you decided to.
As for the duty free, I can't see it being a problem if travelling within the EU i.e. flight from Dublin to Paris, buy some thing in the Duty Free shop (but not duty free just a little cheaper) put them in the bag and then ask to leave the airport. Again I don't think it would be economical but I think it is possible

whomitconcerns

Did it in Dublin before.. Went down to the 200 gates by accident back when they were one way. Straight out through passport control told them what happened and straight back to security again. Funnily enough the security guy recognised me as having already gone through. Very stressful but all good.

Muahahaha

Fine if you've no checked your luggage but if you did and didnt tell a staff member you're not flying then you could be responsible for a full scale security alert. At a minimum you would delay the plane as ground handlers have to find your luggage amongst hundreds of bags and cases and get it off the plane.

Phileas Frog

Where are all the other posts?

SuperSean11

Man Vs ManUre wrote: »

You can even change your mind if you are on the plane before takeoff. I saw it on Final Destination.

Just tell them there’s something wrong with the left filangy

kerry4sam

Phileas Frog wrote: »

Where are all the other posts?

Mod-note:

Some posts were deleted as they were Not in the spirit of our Travel forum and/or forum charter.

Thanks,
kerry4sam

Greentree_uk

Had to do this twice before, Duty Free if truly duty free must be returned before exit, One time and I cannot remember why I had to go back though and collect something, was not an issue but yes you have to go through security again.

VG31

Greentree_uk wrote: »

Had to do this twice before, Duty Free if truly duty free must be returned before exit, One time and I cannot remember why I had to go back though and collect something, was not an issue but yes you have to go through security again.

Which way did you exit as a matter of interest?

miezekatze

Had to do this before when a flight was cancelled, you can't just go back the way you came but you have to go through passport control and all that, like arriving passengers.

michellie

I guess it's the same as when a flight is cancelled. you go back through passport control and you have to give back what you buy in duty free (we had to collect the duty free the following day when we got our next flight)