What are sterile areas in an airport?

Sterile areas in an airport are defined as zones that are accessible only after passengers have gone through security screening processes. This means that anyone entering these areas has already been subjected to a security check, ensuring that they pose no threat to the safety of the passengers and the transportation system.

These areas typically include boarding gates and waiting areas just prior to boarding an aircraft. Their primary purpose is to maintain security and safety by controlling access to certain parts of the airport and ensuring that only screened individuals can access the aircraft.

In contrast, areas requiring boarding passes are part of the broader definition of sterile areas but do not fully capture the specificity of being "beyond passenger screening points." Employee-only areas may or may not be sterile, as they could include places that do not require public security checks, and areas open to the public certainly don't qualify as sterile because they do not require any security clearance. Hence, the definition of sterile areas is most accurately and comprehensively satisfied by those beyond the security screening points.