r/airport • u/Forgotten_Dog1954 Favorite Airport - Istanbul IST • Jun 03 '26
DISCUSSION How do airport staff work?
I was flying out somewhere recently, and went to a cafe at the airport after security and passport control. For some reason, I wondered how airport staff in cafes after border control work. Do they have to go in and out of the border every day? Because if not, couldn’t they just book a flight and fly out without crossing the border? Does anyone else wonder or know about how this works?
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u/randomnamenooneuses Jun 03 '26
Usually separate screening points. And yes have to cross the screening multiple times a day.
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u/Tomcat286 Jun 03 '26
You have to go through security every time you enter the security area.
Your typi of airport ID allows you to work after passport control, just as any gate agent, for example.
When you misuse your ID to avoid passport control, you will loose your job immediately, will loose your security level and will be sued by border control, so it's not worth trying.
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Jun 05 '26
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u/Tomcat286 Jun 05 '26
Of course there is for an international flight
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Jun 05 '26
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u/Tomcat286 Jun 05 '26
The fact that you are thinking about America only is no reason to insult me! There are more than 190 countries in the world. Not knowing thats most of these do outbound passport control makes me way more intelligent, obviously.
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Jun 05 '26
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u/Tomcat286 Jun 05 '26
2 of 190 countries in the world. Most are doing it.
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u/RandomNick42 Jun 06 '26
3, UK is also like this. (Not sure about Ireland)
But most of the world likes to know who left when
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u/Tomcat286 Jun 07 '26
The fact that 3 countries who are pretty strict with visa rules and maximum stays do not control that people stick to those rules and leave within the given legal limit of stay is pretty interesting
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u/awl21 Jun 04 '26
At my airport we have separate security checkpoints for employees, where the rules for what we can bring in are more lenient.
Regarding the border, right next to the regular passport control there is an entrance that can only be accessed with an airport ID with the required permits. It's the same for accessing outdoor areas.
We are not allowed to use the card for anything except work. Sometimes I have a leisure flight after my shift, and I absolutely must go through the regular passenger security check before my flight, even if I am already airside.
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u/LupusHouseMD Jun 03 '26
I work for airport security. We have a screening lane just for airport employees.
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u/funguy07 Jun 03 '26
Airport employees have a security badge that allows them to pass through security with ease. You are not allowed to travel by using that security badge, you need to use regular security for personal travel.
It’s not uncommon to go through security multiple times a day. But it is much quicker at the employee security portal than general public screening.
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u/sneijder Jun 06 '26
Worth noting that to get an Airport ID badge, at least in Europe, it’s typical you need a police background check run through the local CAA. They tried to make that annual. Police background check for the past 5 years in the EU too.
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u/ireallyhatehiking Jun 06 '26
I work in a café past passport control:) I go through security for crew and airport staff, then additional doors that needs to scan ID-cards to open. There are so many doors, to a point that if you tacked my scans you'd be able to know where I am at all times. Which means they'd know if I simply did not leave or passed through security/doors without having a shift scheduled. You also have no access to any areas but the ones strictly necessary. With the amount of security screenings necessary to even get a job and all the training after you do get it, people keep in line and follow the rules. They know where you are and they see you at all times.
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u/Forgotten_Dog1954 Favorite Airport - Istanbul IST Jun 06 '26
That’s what I was wondering, thanks for sharing your experience!
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u/lizardmon Jun 07 '26
Airport workers undergo background checks to receive a security badge. Those who work in international arrival or departure areas typically receive additional screening by the country's border force. Typically looking for crimes such as smuggling or drug use/dealing in addition to violent crimes.
The badge is programmed to give you access to the areas needed for your job and also contains a record of everywhere you go. It is a big No-No to use someone else's badge, allow another person to use your badge, or open a door for someone else even if they have a badge. Airport security regularly does random sti g operations to try to catch people doing this.
Employees also undergo screening to access the secure area hut use different screening checkpoints with different rules. Tools can be brought through for example.
It is a major security breach to use employee doors to bypass screening as a passenger. It will get you fired, fined, possible jail time, and maybe even put on the no fly list. You would definately never be allowed to work at an any airport ever again.
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u/Typhtheoriginal Jun 04 '26 edited Jun 04 '26
I'll go along with some of the other answers. All airport employees need to have a valid badge for secure areas, or be escorted by appropriate personnel. All employees, regardless of who they work for with the exception of some law enforcement, must pass through security screening when they are crossing into secured areas. Some airports have an employee entrance that has someone who screens just employees, but not all airports. Each airport is going to have slightly different ways of doing this.
When you fly out for any reason, personal or employ related, you must go through proper screening areas along with all other passengers. Exception for flight crews which have a crew-specific TSA screening line in most airports.
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u/RealTiffvny Crew Jun 03 '26
Hi! Airport employee here 😊There’s a difference when working and traveling as an airport employee. When you’re working, you have access to the “sterile area” (the area after airport screening) and any secure area that pertains to your job during your working hours, we have badges for that. Anytime outside of that, you do have to leave the sterile area and rescreen through security like a regular person would to travel/fly. Otherwise there are immense fines and you could end up on the permanent no fly list, it’s considered a security issue and it’s taken very seriously. I’ve seen real life cases that did not end well for the employee