• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent

2

Social Security unraveling: 7,100 workers sacked, performance metrics retired, disability claims falling

3

The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 

1

Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent

2

Social Security unraveling: 7,100 workers sacked, performance metrics retired, disability claims falling

3

The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 

This Airport Is Letting You Get Past Security Without a Plane Ticket

By
Bloomberg
Bloomberg
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Bloomberg
Bloomberg
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 30, 2017, 8:59 AM ET

Whether or not you’re getting on a plane, you may soon be able to get in a TSA line—just to eat the pulled pork mac ’n’ cheese at Iron Chef Michael Symon’s namesake restaurant in Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT).

Thanks to a new program starting on Sept. 5, non-fliers will be allowed to roam beyond security at PIT as part of a test the airport developed with the Transportation Security Administration’s sign-off. Visitors who check in at a dedicated counter on the airport’s third-floor ticketing level and show a driver’s license or passport can receive a complimentary “myPITpass.” Anyone on the no-fly list will not be allowed, and everyone will still have to go through TSA’s standard security procedures—just like travelers with a regular boarding pass.

For the first time since Sept. 11, 2001, parents of unaccompanied minors and the children of traveling elderly at the Pennsylvania hub will be able to see them to the gate and keep them company until boarding.

“This is one of the top five requests I get any time I give a speech,” said Christina Cassotis, chief executive of the Allegheny County Airport Authority, which oversees PIT. “This is a very unique community in that you have a lot of meeters and greeters, people who drop off and pick up loved ones,” she told Bloomberg.

For Cassotis, the move signals “a return to the good old days” before 9/11, when anyone could show up with flowers to pick someone up from the gate.

But a lot has changed since the good old days. For one thing, security requires far more thorough screenings. And whereas PIT was built as a major hub for US Airways, it now operates as an “origin and destination airport,” where people begin and end their journeys but rarely transit through on connections.

PIT’s history as a former hub explains its vast proportions: a “Center Core” has more than 100 retailers including a Furla, Brooks Brothers, and Hugo Boss. There are also mini-museums—one from the Carnegie Science Center and one commemorating Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood—and a recently revamped kids’ zone, created in partnership with Carnegie and the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum. And the airport is home to more than 30 restaurants, ranging from fast-food and quick-service classics to, yes, restaurants by celebrity chefs such as Symon.

Until 9/11, the Pittsburgh airport was a popular hangout. “A lot of people remember when this airport was built 25 years ago, being able to come here on a Friday night for dinner,” Cassotis said. “It’s endearing, it’s genuine. People really like it.” But then TSA ratcheted up its standards; non-travelers were no longer welcome.

Locals would still come here for dinner if they could, claims Cassotis. And she has proof: Over the last three years, the airport has run open house nights once a month, each with a thousand attendees. “The shops and restaurants do well,” Cassotis said of the open houses. “Those days are very good for our bottom line.”

PIT’s expansive facilities are also what make this test program viable. In its heyday, in 2001, a prime year for PIT, the airport counted 9.9 million “emplanements,” that is, passengers boarding planes. In 2016, it clocked just 3.9 million—a decline of 61 percent. “An extra 1,000 people here doesn’t make it feel crowded,” said Cassotis.

For the time being, the program only allows non-traveler visits from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

“Our biggest push is the morning rush,” said Bob Kerlik, vice president of media relations for Pittsburgh International Airport, “so by limiting the hours until after 9, that ensures that we’re not adding to the security line. The last thing we want to do is make security lines longer.”

He says the airport will monitor the length of security queues, and only issue myPITpasses if the lines are moving along quickly. If congestion forms, it’ll halt the distribution of myPITpasses to prioritize ticketed travelers.

At the moment, the program is not part of a larger, national program, said TSA spokesperson Michael England, although it’s not hard to imagine other airports lobbying for a similar program if PIT’s pilot turns out to be a success. “This is an agreement between the airport and local TSA officials,” he said. “For the time being, there are no plans to offer this at other airports.”

The TSA will not be hiring additional personnel to accommodate the program, nor does it anticipate that there will be an impact on checkpoint times. “The public will be strictly vetted and screened as if they were boarding a plane,” England continued. “All rules for carry-on luggage will also apply to those receiving the myPITpass.”

It remains to be seen if airports with out-the-door security lines, like New York City’s JFK and Chicago O’Hare would welcome the prospect of increasing volume by any amount. And in cities like those, where restaurant and shopping options are plentiful, it remains to be seen if locals would welcome the prospect of visiting an airport for fun. But not Pittsburgh.

“This airport is the pride of the community,” said Cassotis. “Why not let people pass through and enjoy it?”

About the Author
By Bloomberg
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Microsoft seeks to be AI’s center of gravity again. CEO Satya Nadella is in San Francisco to make the case
AIMicrosoft
Microsoft seeks to be AI’s center of gravity again. CEO Satya Nadella is in San Francisco to make the case
By Sebastian HerreraJune 2, 2026
7 hours ago
Southwest exec says the free bag and assigned seating overhaul is already paying off
Travel & LeisureCOO Summit
Southwest exec says the free bag and assigned seating overhaul is already paying off
By Preston ForeJune 2, 2026
7 hours ago
Dan Peyovich
Future of WorkCOO Summit
Data center CEO is hoping for a skilled-trades revival in his lifetime—he’s recruiting couch-dwelling Gen Z with two weeks of vacation on day one
By Preston ForeJune 2, 2026
9 hours ago
coo
ConferencesCOO Summit
The $18 expense report and the defunded intern programs: symbols of corporate America’s dysfunction
By Nick LichtenbergJune 2, 2026
9 hours ago
Victoria’s Secret CEO rejected ‘woke-washing’ and endless sales cycles—and it’s paying off
RetailVictoria's Secret
Victoria’s Secret CEO rejected ‘woke-washing’ and endless sales cycles—and it’s paying off
By Eva RoytburgJune 2, 2026
10 hours ago
Image of $1 bills.
NewslettersEye on AI
AI may already be adding hundreds of billions to the economy—without showing up in the data
By Beatrice NolanJune 2, 2026
11 hours ago

Most Popular

Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent
Environment
Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 1, 2026
1 day ago
Social Security unraveling: 7,100 workers sacked, performance metrics retired, disability claims falling
North America
Social Security unraveling: 7,100 workers sacked, performance metrics retired, disability claims falling
By Katie Savin, Callie Freitag, Matthew Borus and The ConversationJune 2, 2026
16 hours ago
The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 
Energy
The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 
By Melissa HancockJune 1, 2026
2 days ago
'Where we are today is frightening': a Pulitzer-winning historian sees a doomsday scenario involving China and the national debt
Banking
'Where we are today is frightening': a Pulitzer-winning historian sees a doomsday scenario involving China and the national debt
By Nick LichtenbergJune 2, 2026
19 hours ago
Cognizant CEO is swimming against the tide on AI: he's hiring over 20,000 graduates this year and says AI tokenmaxxing is a 'vanity metric'
Conferences
Cognizant CEO is swimming against the tide on AI: he's hiring over 20,000 graduates this year and says AI tokenmaxxing is a 'vanity metric'
By Preston ForeJune 1, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of June 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 1, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.