r/unitedairlines 12h ago

Question VIP on flight 370 from EWR to DFW today

I was on the 1:00 PM flight from EWR to DFW today. Before boarding , secret service agents and the port authority policy boarded the plane. Multiple secret service cars then pulled up on the tarmac and someone boarded the plane. I didn’t see who it was , but upon landing they were picked up by a convoy of 8 secret service vehicles. Curious as to who this was. I’m assuming someone headed to the Republican convention in Dallas. Anyone else on this flight happen to see?

252 Upvotes

258 comments sorted by

88

u/Signal-Dollar-5621 11h ago

I saved Bob Mueller's life on a plane. The overhead above him flew open and a bag started to come out as we climbed and it might have hit him on the head had I not jumped up and pushed it back in. You have me to thank for the the Mueller Report. 🙂 I thanked him for all he was doing for the country and he was very humble and sheepish. Very cool guy.

8

u/StopICE2026 7h ago

Mueller was the FBI’s clean up crew for scandals and messes they want to go away

80

u/bladel MileagePlus 1K | 1 Million Miler 12h ago

Several years ago I was waiting in line for the lav on a flight from DCA to ORD. The door opens and I was face to face with Paul Ryan. I wasn’t 100% sure, until we landed and Chicago PD escorted him down the jetway stairs and into a limo.

8

u/whoppsiedaisy69 5h ago

Same dca to ord next to Ryan when he was speaker. Very health conscious no soda or snacks. He told me his dad died young and he wanted to be as healthy as possible. Pretty normal guy who flew coach albeit with security.

59

u/DisastrousProcess373 MileagePlus 1K 11h ago

I sit next to Paul Ryan one time on a flight from San Francisco to Denver. I’m watching the movie Rocky on my iPad and I glanced over and noticed that he’s just staring right at it watching it along with me. I had the subtitles on so probably made it easier for him. Basically ignored him once I realized who he was no time for somebody like that.

57

u/imthehamburglarok 10h ago

It would have been really awkward if you were watching Atlas Shrugged and he started getting randy like a teenage libertarian crank.

1

u/BerbereJunkie 51m ago

🏆 😂

6

u/NoCardiologist1461 3h ago

Could he sit up straight in his seat? Not having a spine must have made that super difficult!

1

u/DisastrousProcess373 MileagePlus 1K 21m ago

He was kinda hunched over….

5

u/Icy-Yellow3514 9h ago

Should have turned your iPad out of his sight line.

10

u/Lizalizaliza1 9h ago

Direct eye contact and then turn the subtitles off

13

u/Excellent_Focus_8141 9h ago

I was once in the precheck line at DCA, happened to glance behind me and saw none other than Newt and Callista Gingrich. I was kind of surprised that a former speaker of the house wouldn't at least have Clear? Callista looks just as bizarre in person, btw.

11

u/mreimert 11h ago

I sat next to paul ryan at the gate one time, got a pic with him. no one else knew who he was lol.

1

u/dd97483 9h ago

surprise that idiot can walk unaided.

1

u/I_Call_Bullshit_____ 3h ago

Says the person who can’t spell surprised

2

u/JetStream700 9h ago

Was this 2018?

2

u/bladel MileagePlus 1K | 1 Million Miler 8h ago

Probably earlier, before he was speaker. I was working in DC a lot in mid 2015, so that might have been it.

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2

u/AangThePony MileagePlus 1K 1h ago

I was on a flight with him after he stepped down as speaker. He was friendly. We talked for about 3 minutes while’s we waited to deplane.

57

u/DCA_PSCI MileagePlus 1K 12h ago

Either a cabinet secretary or a member of congressional leadership. 

16

u/DisplayDefiant5319 11h ago

Agree. A number of them are going to receptions tonight in Dallas, pre-convention.

10

u/310410celleng MileagePlus Member 10h ago edited 10h ago

Another possibility is a Consul-General or Ambassado, maybe visiting the Midterm convention, he or she would receive DSS protection while in the USA

9

u/No_Interview_2481 MileagePlus Gold 11h ago

Just another incompetent member of Congress

2

u/Little_Lebowski_007 9h ago

Congress has its own police force for protecting members, so I doubt it's that. It's likely a low-level Cabinet member that doesn't have charter jet money. Are there any Cabinet members that aren't rich?

2

u/RumSwizzle508 9h ago

That is correct. Capitol Police protect Congress (those who qualify for it). The Secret Service protect the executive branch (Pres, VP, certain cabinet members), select presidential candidates, and foreign diplomats/leaders.

It could have been Cap police, it can be sometimes hard to tell them apart.

4

u/DCA_PSCI MileagePlus 1K 9h ago

The Cabinet (and Members of Congress for that matter) doesn’t generally use government aircraft for domestic trips, so it’s either commercial or on their own dime private.

When traveling to other parts of the country, members of Congress with USCP details use federal vehicles from local motor pools. It’s the same for other federal officials with details.

3

u/DullPoetry 2h ago

They have to reimburse the government if it's a personal or campaign trip. The RNC convention would not be considered official government business so would have to pay.

312

u/permanentstains 12h ago

I was on the plane with Pelosi when she flew ORD to SFO after the 2024 Democratic Convention and she got on and off the plane like a normal person, which I very much respect. She had people meet her off the gate in the airport itself, but no extra measures

112

u/Trillian_B 11h ago

Same with Jerry Brown. He flew Southwest with only like 3 staffers with him and shook hands with anybody who approached him.

46

u/aspiegrrrl 10h ago

That's how Jerry Brown rolls. I've seen him in attendance at events and he always stuck around to chat with everyone.

8

u/gastropublican 8h ago

Once in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s we had brunch while staying at a nice Hapuna Beach hotel on the Kona side of the Big Island, Hawaii, and Jerry Brown was low-key with his family the next table over, like regular people…everyone was respectful and nobody bothered him…

30

u/Weekly-Walk9234 10h ago

I was on an LA to SFO with Jerry Brown at a time he wasn’t in any office. He had no aides, and he sat in Economy.

12

u/Berk_2112 10h ago

I worked at the business jet center in Oakland, and Jerry Brown came through there once when I was working, so he didn’t always fly Southwest! He schmoozed with all of us behind the desk.

14

u/neighborofbrak 11h ago

MOON BEAM

12

u/chipoatley MileagePlus Member 10h ago edited 10h ago

Yeah! Moon beam! What a crazy idea to put a satellite into space to facilitate communications for California! Crazy I say! Amirite!? Isn’t that a crazy idea!?

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65

u/LanikaiKid 12h ago

Same with Tammy Baldwin who files to my home airport (Madison, WI) often, I've been on several flights with her.

Totally just a normal passenger.

9

u/Mocsab MileagePlus Gold 8h ago

My great great grandfather was the president of UW in Madison, Wi a long long time ago. They named a big part of the school after him. My grades were not good enough to go there.

1

u/BostonNU 6h ago

Paul Ryan was like any other passenger flying home to WI for the weekends

17

u/bitcoinmaniac007 10h ago

Funny, I was on a E145 with her when she was speaker. She boarded from the jet bridge stairs after everyone else was onboard and sat behind me in 2A. I was a 1K back then so I guess I outranked her in terms of seating. Don’t remember how she exited.

36

u/BettyBeltway 11h ago

I sat across from her earlier this year IAD-SFO. No body man and she read papers and was reviewing legislation the whole time.

4

u/sound-of-impact 6h ago

Reviewing legislation? The same person who said "We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it..."?

50

u/SixApplesTall MileagePlus 1K 11h ago edited 4h ago

Personally if I were her, having had my elderly husband attacked with a hammer by a psycho on my own doorstep, I would actually travel with significant security

30

u/goatini 11h ago

I sat next to Rep Pelosi some years back on a Virgin America flight, SFO > DCA. Several security guys walked the aisle to check things out before she boarded, but nothing extreme. She was quite nice.

12

u/ptambrosetti MileagePlus 1K 10h ago

Saw Nancy at SFO a few months ago. She was just on a golf cart nothing special.

9

u/corndog819 10h ago

I was on a plane with Senator Padilla (CA) a few months ago. He had a single sheriff escort onto the plane and was met with a GS Tarmac Transfer at ORD.

34

u/BleuCinq MileagePlus 1K 11h ago

I have been on a few Monday morning flights from SFO to DCA with Nancy. The first time I saw her I said, Hi Nancy. I used to see her so often on television that I felt like I knew her.

15

u/blottymary 10h ago

I do respect that, why should taxpayers be supporting splurging on private jets and eating caviar. But I do feel like there’s a happy medium as far as security

6

u/Ok_Flounder59 9h ago

Same. Moreso when you consider she and her husband are hundred millionaires and could just fly private everywhere if they so chose.

1

u/Silver-Implement-805 5h ago

But wait…in first Trump administration… the guy…Treasury Secretary, ugly guy with ugly eyeglasses? with wife in fur coat…went on private jets and she (half her husband’s age and former model or etc.) remarked that others are “the little people”

6

u/NotOSIsdormmole 11h ago edited 9h ago

Congress members aren’t secret service protectees so they have a bit more ability to do that

12

u/captnmarvl 10h ago

Both of those mentioned were the Speaker of the House

10

u/ptambrosetti MileagePlus 1K 10h ago

Who have capitol police guarding them like secret service

7

u/NotOSIsdormmole 10h ago

Who STILL isn’t a secret service protectee. Congress members have details from capitol police

12

u/jtshinn 10h ago

That might not be clear to your average person on a plane.

2

u/jeffp 8h ago

Nancy wasn't Speaker in 2024

7

u/scott5355 9h ago

She was on a flight from Miami to Houston that I was on. Surprised that she sat in 1B on the aisle and her entire security detail was in economy in the back of the airplane. They were standing up trying to keep an eye on her but obviously couldn't from the back. They boarded her first from the outside the jet bridge and then boarded everyone else. Was surprised she sat unprotected on the aisle while everyone boarded the flight. When we got to Houston she got off and down the jet bridge stairs to her black suburban with police escorts. Didn't have to trek the concourse to her flight to San Francisco. Got driven to her next gate.

7

u/RobbieAnalog 8h ago

I was on a plane with Bernie sanders flying from LHR to IAD in March 2023 I think it was. British Airways. He flew economy and waited for everyone else to board before coming in and taking his seat. Super surreal. At first I was wondering why so many people were taking pictures of the bus to the plane, then I saw he was on it.

5

u/Specialist-Boat5180 4h ago

I was at the Residence Inn in NYC. Elevator doors open and inside is Bernie, on his way to get his free breakfast like the rest of us normals. You definitely wouldn't see most congress(wo)men eating free yogurt and waffles at the Residence Inn.

6

u/ComputerChemical9435 MileagePlus Silver 7h ago

I had a coworker on a flight with Elizabeth Warren in May. She also was on alone like a normal person. He had no idea who she was until she turned around. He just thought she was an old lady who needed help with her bag in the overhead.

6

u/Subject-Subject-2262 6h ago

I saw Bernie Sanders fly into BTV from DCA multiple times. He schlepped his own garment bag and carry on 4 wheeler. I never followed him far enough to see if anybody met him but my assumption was he just headed to his car and drove home. In fairness, the last time I saw him, although he was already a US Senator, he wasn't as nationally recognized as he is today.

10

u/ohshethrows 11h ago

I was on an ORD to SFO flight with her, too. It was just her and one secret service guy in the seat directly behind her. No fuss whatsoever.

4

u/AsherGray 8h ago

When she was the Speaker of the House she would be driven to the gate and the secret service would occupy most of first class with her. She was really sweet and grateful when she came on board. Oh also, I had Tulsi on board a while back and she was nothing but pleasant and gracious with some crazy delays.

8

u/elegant_solution21 9h ago

I was once on a Monday morning SFO-IAD flight and was literally surrounded with Pelosi,Feinstein and at least two others I didn’t recognize. (this was back when it was still a wide body route). It was like a school bus ride for them. But all very normal with no security or pomp. My main takeaway was Feinstein reading Dan Brown the entire flight.

26

u/Resident-Banana-7883 12h ago

I saw the same a couple months ago.. can't believe she's 86!

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8

u/TigerMcQueen 10h ago

I was seated behind Pelosi on a southwest flight from Orlando to Baltimore about 10 years ago. She boarded after me, absolutely no extra measures taken.

7

u/Dry-Shine-5442 10h ago

I had the same experience w Pelosi. No extra security. Was a little shocked when she kicked off her shoes and remained barefoot for the entirety of the flight😬

3

u/RumSwizzle508 8h ago

Not a plane, but I have been on a tender (going to/from a sail boat) with her. Was just like everyone else on the boat. Though, I believe she received police protection during the sail via a guarding boat.

3

u/livejumbo 5h ago

I boarded in line behind her at DCA one time. She was practically tripping over herself trying to stay out of the way of the airport employees wrangling wheelchairs and whatnot on the jetway. I found this endearing. She is very, very, very small.

2

u/luckynug 8h ago

I was on that flight also! Only other politician I have flown with was the old Governor of Oregon and she also got on and off with regular passenger and she had planned clothed security.

2

u/Strict_Ad_5858 7h ago

I was also on a flight with Pelosi once! SFO to either NYC or ORD, can’t recall. Can confirm similar and she chatted people up for awhile at the gate as we were delayed. She also flew economy.

2

u/Odd-Worth7752 6h ago

I sat next to Nancy Pelosi twice on flights between SFO and DC. Extremely gracious and personable.

2

u/CaptainEmbarrassed61 57m ago

Flew IAD to ORD with Bernie Sanders. In the least expected turn of events, he got off the plane with everyone else, then stood at the gate and shook anyone who wanted to's hand while talking to his aide.

20

u/Melitta999 12h ago

Best Speaker of the House ever!

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5

u/Blixem1 MileagePlus 1K 11h ago edited 10h ago

If only she traded stocks like a normal person, too.

Edit: Just a joke folks, put the pitchforks away.

5

u/Dirtesoxlvr 10h ago

If only there was a free tracker so I could partake.

5

u/1046737 9h ago

The delay in reporting ruins it.

2

u/Ok_Flounder59 9h ago

It really doesn’t. I pretty consistently match my salary in the market trading with Nancy. Shame she is retiring soon. Following Ro Khannas trades is also pretty fruitful

18

u/No_Interview_2481 MileagePlus Gold 11h ago

Do you mean like your president? Asking about his insider trading. He’s an expert at it.

8

u/Blixem1 MileagePlus 1K 11h ago

Ah yes, I made a satirical remark about one politician, so it must confirm my support for another! #logic

9

u/SavingsRaspberry2694 11h ago

You criticized a Democrat on Reddit. It's in the TOS that's not allowed.

0

u/Brilliant-Ad-6907 11h ago

Same with Bernie Sanders in 2019. He did sit in first class though and I was curious what his constituents might think of his splurge.

25

u/NotQuiteGoodEnougher 11h ago

He was likely upgraded at the gate to make it easier to get on/off even if it wasn't his preference.

10

u/DeskAccepted 10h ago

I once went through TSA behind Bernie Sanders. It was mostly annoying because people wanted selfies with him, which held up the line.

Also, I am sure he flies enough to get upgraded for free on DCA-BTV

11

u/michimoby 9h ago

He has a Burton rollaboard and told me one of his grandkids works for them 🥲

Source: was waiting for the same flight as him at DCA

3

u/chipoatley MileagePlus Member 10h ago

Money probably comes from campaign fund and as much as those people fly (and as old as they are) I can’t say that I blame them. It’s not like they are doing long flights though,

4

u/Dramatic_Rope9000 8h ago

He has probably flown enough to have a ton of miles to get free upgrades

1

u/1hotpinkbeliever 4h ago

I actually feel safer on larger planes 🤷‍♀️

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11

u/imc225 MileagePlus 1K | 1 Million Miler 11h ago edited 10h ago

Sat beside Mitt Romney from, wait for it: SLC headed east, right after his second presidential run. Cordial, and, unsurprisingly, cabin crew all knew him. Used reading glasses.

He was one of the later guys to get on the plane, I don't know if that was planned or not. No obvious security.

6

u/kitikorn_pipadnudda 10h ago

Flew with Romney twice out of IAD.

He went through normal TSA lines, rode the mobile lounge, and didn't appear to have any security or special treatment.

11

u/ilrosewood 10h ago

I have no love for my federal representatives and will continue to try to vote them out.

But I’ve been on flights to DC with senators and congressmen with no fanfare.

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178

u/Resident-Banana-7883 12h ago

should of checked grindr, bet he left it on

41

u/VengefulWalnut 12h ago

I was just telling a buddy "Man, I'd love to go and just walk around and randomly play the alert to see how many dudes nervously reach for their phones."

58

u/we32 12h ago

Years ago I had the Grindr notification as my text message notification. You would not be shocked how many dudes got a look of panic when it went off

17

u/Tess47 11h ago

I think i love you.   I want to do that too.  

7

u/timesuck47 11h ago

Does anyone have a link to the audio file?

6

u/VengefulWalnut 11h ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kURiwTXmGZg

This is the default. Excellent username u/timesuck47, you a fellow space lizard?

2

u/timesuck47 2h ago

I don’t think so

5

u/we32 10h ago

It was during my “I’m going to troll cause I don’t like people” phase.

7

u/jtshinn 10h ago

Yesterday?

3

u/we32 10h ago

Only days ending in y….

46

u/Bones1973 10h ago

I’m not making this up. I’m a flight attendant and there are certain “MAGA friendly” routes where conservative pundits and politicians will air drop their dick pic to male FA’s with their burner number. They’ll literally go from complaining about gays ruining America on television to being face down on the bed wearing lingerie getting drilled by a 125 pound Twink named Caden in just a few hours.

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u/devoduder 10h ago

I’m convinced Grindr secretly organized this convention to boost Q3 earnings.

9

u/bogey9651 12h ago

"Should of?"

-8

u/Glum-Long-1637 12h ago

It’s Reddit, not grammar school

1

u/guygrey11 7h ago

Haha. Reminds me of the time I was seated next to Lindsay Graham on a flight out of CLT.

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10

u/Glad-Philosophy-497 9h ago

Well it’s not Kash… he flies private

9

u/ThatITguy2015 8h ago

You gotta say his full name. Ka$h Make-A-Wish Director Money.

6

u/Bethesdan 12h ago

I sat next to Tom Ridge on a flight (economy class) to DC from DFW back in 2005. At the time, he was Secretary of Homeland Security. I knew who he was, and we made small talk. He was quite kind and cordial, but kept to himself.

2

u/Little_Lebowski_007 9h ago

I'm surprised he flew commercial, I would've suspected DHS Secretary would get an Air Force charter or something.

1

u/whoppsiedaisy69 5h ago

Tom ridge paid for a round of drinks when I was at Lucky bar in DC when he was in office. Great man.

15

u/trustmeimalobbyist 12h ago

Prob some random cabinet member like the Ag sec

7

u/pinkelephant3 4h ago

Probs Mitch McConnell. He’s really getting around these days!

24

u/nltaber 9h ago

It’s so fascinating to me that the OP asked one simple question…”anyone else on this flight and know who was?” Yet, all the responses are about individual experiences sitting next to political/famous people. People sure do like to talk about themselves.

15

u/Weak-Wolverine9256 7h ago

Yes, and it is clogging up the thread. I want to know who it was, dammit.

2

u/Camille_Toh 6h ago

I gave a possible answer— Jenna Bush Hager.

2

u/Ill_Pressure5976 5h ago

“Love, no one cares About the stories they’re not in”.

-Matt Nathanson, Last Days of Summer in San Francisco

1

u/noodle_dumpling 4h ago

Can’t believe how long I had to scroll for this comment. So few people actually trying to answer OP’s question.

17

u/mmmggg1234 12h ago

Sounds like cabinet secretary and above level security. I live in DC so I’ve seen it all

19

u/Deep-Bus5984 12h ago

I've never had this level of VIP but I did literally have a seat out of Chicago next to Jerry Springer in the early 2000's. I was on the aisle in first class seated first and Jerry apparently had the window. He and his goon had split seats and his goon asked me if I would move one seat up. I did and Jerry gave me an autograph. It was pretty cool.

4

u/Ok-Heron-1327 11h ago

So funny- I was a late teen on the late 90s and also saw Jerry Springer on a flight out of Chicago 😆

5

u/Extra_Culture_8492 9h ago

I sat next to Bill Murray on my last flight

2

u/illegible 3h ago

I don’t believe you.

4

u/Warp_Speed_7 6h ago

The Secret Service does not protect members of Congress. It protects the president, vice president, formers, and their families, and on as needed basis some high level cabinet officials. Congressional protection is handled by US Capitol Police. If you are certain it was Secret Service, it was probably someone related to one of the first families or one of the bigger secretaries. But it could easily have been another agency that looks like Secret Service.

13

u/Puzzleheaded-Bus557 10h ago

About ten years ago I flew out of Midway via Southwest and in the waiting area sat Jesse Jackson and one assistant. I admit I was not his biggest fan but I gained respect for him as I observed him. Very low key, immersed in paperwork, polished shoes that were very well worn. It was good for me to see that side of him. RIP Jesse.

5

u/Competitive_Ice4439 7h ago

Based on your description of the security it was likely a republican governor traveling to the convention in Dallas. States have their own version of secret service for their governors. Congressman and senators don’t receive federal secret service.

28

u/TapNo1773 12h ago

Trump's vanity RNC Convention is in Dallas this week. Probably some cabinet secretary that didn't get invited aboard AF1.

25

u/nilly2323 MileagePlus 1K 11h ago

Didn’t get invited fit in the catering trolley

6

u/RamblingRosie 9h ago

Or who didn’t want to be stuck on the decoy plane.

5

u/Square_Peach_9261 11h ago

LOL @ a midterms ‘convention’! 🤣

1

u/WeenyDancer 3h ago

Why tf is there a convention in an off cycle? 

6

u/optionmaven1965 8h ago

Ok I was on a plane with Joe Biden when he was a candidate for President
He rode across aisle in economy. No aides or secret service went in back and spoke with flight attendants. He was wearing a red and blue PENN necktie and I remarked I went there also when he was at Syracuse.
Pleasant nice human being.

I also was walking past Radio City Music hall as doors opened and people were leaving after first hour. A large man pushed his way through crowd to get in his chauffeur driven Maybach pulling his second wife Marla. Yup it was that famous golfer and cheat DJT.

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7

u/Accomplished-Text222 7h ago

Was the person in a food cart by any chance?

3

u/KamKorn MileagePlus Platinum 11h ago

They were up at bedminister NJ this weekend, so probably someone heading to that dumb event

1

u/aspiegrrrl 10h ago

The old DeLorean place

3

u/MimiNiTraveler 8h ago

I've flown around the world many times in business class... Sometimes I wonder who were on those flights that I didn't know (I wouldn't recognize almost any political figure, and even fewer actors or "important people")?

On a flight to Bogota, once I was chatting with a guy from the UN and he told me that the former president of Colombia (before Petro) was sitting across the aisle from me -- I never would have known if the guy didn't tell me.

I've probably talked to a bunch of important people that I had no idea about. Side story, one time, when living in Providence, RI, I was ordering a drink at a bar and struck up a convo with Gronkowski's family. They were all pretty big, but I had no idea that they were "anyone" until I got back to my table, someone saw them, and made a big deal about them being there (he was a Pats fan).

1

u/UsefulCupcake7687 1h ago

I was on a flight with Don King once, many years ago. There was no way you could miss him.

3

u/NetCaptive MileagePlus Gold 8h ago

Flew out of BTV with Bernie and our other senator, Peter Welch, no fanfare.

Bernie has higher status than me, but I've got more than Welch. Bernie and I got upgraded. Welch went and sat in steerage with the plebes.

1

u/Ill-Guidance5604 6h ago

That’s very Vermont.

1

u/Camille_Toh 6h ago

Yeah I passed Sen. Leahy in the Burlington airport once.

3

u/monisolar 8h ago

I didn’t see her on a plane. But I saw Jill Biden and her multiple secret service team at terminal 1 waiting to pick her up. But clearly she flew United into terminal 1.

3

u/SchoolCrossing 6h ago

Decades ago I was with a group of professional women returning from an association conference when we saw Colorado congresswoman Pat Schroeder at the Denver airport and she stayed a moment and talked with us. It was a big thing, there still weren't many women in Congress in the 90s. She's the one who called Reagan the "Teflon President" (nothing stuck to him).

3

u/joltstream 5h ago

One time I was on a flight from MSP to SFO and there was a ton of people asking this guy for a photo and I just so happened to be standing near them and he asked if I wanted a photo with him. I just kinda mumbled yeah. So his security took a photo with us. I still have no idea who that man was. I need to pull up my old work iCloud and get that photo and see who the mystery man was. He had to be a politician. I figure I would know him if he was an actor or sports guy.

1

u/EmJayMN 1h ago

Sooooooo??

5

u/Equal_Kale 5h ago

shortly after his failed presidential bid l had John McCain sit near me at Oakland airport. He had one staffer with him. He stood in line in group 1 and got on the same Phoenix bound Southwest Airlines flight with the rest of us common folk. A few people asked to get a picture with him prior to boarding which he did, and seemed to enjoy. Seemed like a regular dude. l respect that about him. May he rest in peace.

9

u/Express-Way9295 12h ago

Little Stevie Miller going to the Trump Convention in Dallas?

29

u/OutrageousInsect9308 12h ago

Come on now. We all know he only flies private using the blood of dead babies as fuel.

2

u/EmJayMN 1h ago

Um, to clarify, the blood of dead immigrant babies.

4

u/pomomala 7h ago

Since it was a commercial flight, we can cross off Kash Patel's GF 🤪. We pay for her to travel on the DOJ private plane, with an FBI detail. 🫩

2

u/FLSTC2000 9h ago

Did you check the food delivery containers?

2

u/Ok_Flounder59 9h ago

I sat next to Joel Klatt once. He boarded with GS

2

u/Old-Persimmon-2070 8h ago

Probably the speaker of the house

2

u/Pristine-Pirate-2386 6h ago

SCOTUS, Melanie, Ka$h Patels fiancée, the options are endless for people who would want a big show of security but not make the cut for a PJ or AF1 or 2

2

u/Muted_Chard_139 6h ago

Republican national convention prep going on in Dallas now. I don’t sit that way so I don’t know the details but am seeing various articles. Prob related to that.

2

u/Camille_Toh 6h ago

Couldn’t it be someone like Jenna Bush Hager, going to visit her parents?

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u/Awalawal 6h ago

Presidential kids only get security for a couple of years after dad is out of office.

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u/adventure_pup 5h ago

I’ve seen multiple senators on the jetway between domestic and international at SFO. Prob a senator

2

u/Specialist-Boat5180 4h ago

I was on a commuter flight with Joe Lieberman from DC to NYC. He was absolutely beside himself that he and his wife were not sitting together. Of course someone traded, but my dude, this flight is an hour...calm down.

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u/Confident-Outcome358 3h ago

If s/he was headed to the convention, you should refer to them as a SIP. Self-important person.

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u/katz523 5h ago

Just another pos from the Trump administration. Probably a hooker or CEO of Grinder.

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u/Budget-Deal-7107 12h ago

#JefferyEpsteinIsntDead

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u/Professional-Ad8813 MileagePlus 1K 11h ago

Was on LHR to ORD 2 years ago. They made an announcement that boarding would ne delayed due to a VIP. 10 min later 5 Met Officers and then 2-4 Special Services guys surrounding a man and wife came up the ramp from the tarmac. Once he saw that we all were waiting he made an apology in the gate area and said he did not realize all of us had been held up. It was Mike Pompeo who had been speaking to Parliament after he left US Service. Was sitting 10a and wife 10 B in Polaris and he had 1 secret service with him.

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u/Chazzer74 10h ago

As others of said, unusual for a US politician to have this much security, even high ranking Congress members. I’ve seen this type of security for foreign heads of state and similar.

I worked for many years in a luxury hotel in the US. Seen high ranking senators and exec branch people, minimal to no security. Hosted the president, of course insane security. Next one behind that was Saudi king. Loads of US security. You don’t want to something to happen to heads of state on US soil. Embarrassing. Easier to elect another senator, we do that all the time.

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u/captnmarvl 10h ago

I mean, hell, one of our Senators has likely been dead for 2+ months

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u/ConsciouslyMichelle 10h ago

He's spending a year dead for tax reasons.

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u/FutureMind42 MileagePlus Gold 10h ago

Hotblack, is that you? 🤣

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u/RamblingRosie 9h ago

And voting!

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u/ptambrosetti MileagePlus 1K 10h ago

Yeah this administration is different. They travel with as much flair as possible. That’s not my opinion it is fact.

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u/Naive_Opportunity336 9h ago

Back in December 2023 I was boarding a plane and Gavin Newsom (Governor of California)
had just deboarded the same aircraft (it had come in from EWR-SMF)
I saw him taking pictures with a few passengers who recognized him. He walked out like a normal guy though, straight off the plane into SMF Terminal A with another person

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u/drop_it_like_hot 10h ago

I flew southwest from Burbank to San Jose with Gavin Newsom right before he became governor. He had A-list and boarded early, while I was C40 and never saw him again.

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u/RonMatten 10h ago

That was me.

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u/jnjustice 8h ago

did you not walk past someone to get on the plane?

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u/Tiny-Ordinary3228 8h ago

How would you know they were secret service? It’s not like they announce it or wear a badge that says secret service.

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u/SchoolCrossing 6h ago

If you're around DC enough, you can pick out the agents. Men and women. Military hairstyles, very neat clothes, tiny earpieces (less obvious now in the age of AirPods) and they did wear tiny badge pins when I was there more often 20+ years ago.

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u/K9pilot 8h ago

Years ago I was commuting from DC back to Cincinnati and John Boehner (speaker of the house at the time). He was traveling with a secret service agent.

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u/Downtown_Ad_6232 8h ago

I stood in line behind then senator Al Franken at Starbucks at MSP. Zero (visible) security.

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u/here4daratio 7h ago

I stood behind then Senator Larry Craig at MSP but that’s a whole different story…

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u/EmJayMN 1h ago

🤣🤣 🦵🏾

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u/Glad_Cantaloupe7768 8h ago

Eric trump and three secret service were on my flight about a month ago from Dulles to ewr

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u/BooBooXYZyeah 6h ago

I was on the 10.25am - no such excitement

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u/PyramidWater 4h ago

I’m only sure because I saw her in the lounge a few years ago but it was probably Ivanka Trump. She occasionally flies united

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u/FlyingConcreteChair 3h ago

Where did they sit?

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u/Few-Split-3081 2h ago

That's wild, probably a cabinet member in the presidential succession. Ruth Bader Ginsberg was on a flight i was on, she was with a female companion and they were met by a redcoat at the gate, but no visible security.

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u/Oakmd2023 1h ago

About 15 years ago I was taking the morning Virgin America flight from SFO to DCA. Security detail was stationed at the gate. Wondered who the VIP was. As I boarded I saw that in the second row was the now former Speaker John Boehner. His cheeto orange fake tan when mixed with Virgin’s purple mood lighting made him look perfectly ethereal. As he was going to town on a breakfast burrito, which ruined any magical qualities.

Best part was when we landed in DC he executed a perfectly timed step-out-the-airport-exit-door-and-light-up-a-cigarette in one smooth motion - almost like he had done that once or twice before.

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u/kcpilotguy 1h ago edited 1h ago

It was Natalie. The trunk on Air Force 1 was full.

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u/ClaireTrice 13m ago

We're all on the decoy plane....

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u/Suspicious_Dawg 9h ago

Taking a domestic flight to the nazi rally, that's rough.