The Airport
Encyclopedia
"The Airport" is the 52nd episode of the sitcom Seinfeld
. It was the 12th episode of the 4th season and aired on November 25, 1992.
and Elaine
are flying home from St. Louis
to New York after Jerry has performed a show and Elaine has visited her sister. When their flight to JFK Airport gets cancelled, Jerry and Elaine rebook on another flight to LaGuardia Airport
, with one seat left in first class and one in coach. After a brief tense moment during which Jerry explains that he cannot fly coach since he's flown first class before while Elaine hasn't and so cannot miss it, Elaine gets cramped into coach and Jerry parties in first class with a sexy model, Tia Van Camp (Jennifer Campbell
).
Due to their having to rebook and a rerouting of their flight, George
and Kramer
go between JFK
and LaGuardia
to pick them up. Once they settle on an airport, George meets a convict, and takes the last Time Magazine available. The convict asks for it, but George refuses, saying he has a "blurb" in it. The convict tells him to look at the cover, which shows the convict's face and the headline "Caught!". George still refuses to hand over the magazine, despite threats from the convict. Kramer sees a former roommate of his, Grossbard, who owes him $240 from twenty years ago. Kramer hatches a scheme to get the money back that involves him and George buying tickets for the man's flight and boarding it, Kramer receiving his money and then they get off the plane and return the tickets. George buys into the scheme, as he decides it will give him more frequent flier miles, and he will just get his money back, he asks Kramer to buy two tickets. Kramer buys non-refundable tickets, claiming the woman who sold them convinced him it was a good deal, to George's dismay. They board the plane and Kramer confronts Grossbard, asking him for the money, when Grossbard claims he does not know who Kramer is, Kramer attempts to reach into his pocket and grab his wallet, which creates a scene. During this, George is waiting for the bathroom, and when the door opens up, it is the convict, unshackled, inside. He grabs George, pulls him into the bathroom and locks the door, and then continues to beat up George. Kramer is arrested and apparently in "serious trouble", but he escapes the security guard's grasp and runs away.
When Jerry and Elaine land, the model says goodbye to Jerry, and claims she will call him, while she is being followed by paparazzi. Elaine's bag never arrives (This was due to an earlier scene where Elaine complains to a man who handles their baggage that he does not deserve to be tipped. In revenge, he sends her luggage on a different flight to Honolulu.), and Kramer comes sliding down the baggage chute, as his escape was successful. The three of them leave, while George is seen on a seat in the airplane, flying to an unknown location, letting out a scream of exasperation (directed at Kramer), as the episode ends.
There is an alternative ending where George meets up with Elaine and Jerry at the baggage claim, beaten up, saying in a daze, "You won't believe what happened to me."
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
. It was the 12th episode of the 4th season and aired on November 25, 1992.
Plot summary
JerryJerry Seinfeld (character)
Jerome "Jerry" Seinfeld is the main protagonist of the American television sitcom Seinfeld . The straight man among his group of friends, this semi-fictionalized version of comedian Jerry Seinfeld was named after, co-created by, based on, and played by Seinfeld himself.The series revolves around...
and Elaine
Elaine Benes
Elaine Marie Benes is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld; she is also good friends with George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer...
are flying home from St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
to New York after Jerry has performed a show and Elaine has visited her sister. When their flight to JFK Airport gets cancelled, Jerry and Elaine rebook on another flight to LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally...
, with one seat left in first class and one in coach. After a brief tense moment during which Jerry explains that he cannot fly coach since he's flown first class before while Elaine hasn't and so cannot miss it, Elaine gets cramped into coach and Jerry parties in first class with a sexy model, Tia Van Camp (Jennifer Campbell
Jennifer Campbell
Jennifer Lynn Campbell is an American actress and model. Her most memorable performance is from Seinfeld Season 4 episode "The Airport", as Tia, the girl in the first class seat with Jerry, as Elaine was stuck in coach. As the character Tia, she was also the Calvin Klein model and central...
).
Due to their having to rebook and a rerouting of their flight, George
George Costanza
George Louis Costanza is a character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Jason Alexander. He has variously been described as a "short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man" , "Lord of the Idiots" , and as "the greatest sitcom character of all time"...
and Kramer
Cosmo Kramer
Cosmo Kramer, usually referred to as simply "Kramer", is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Michael Richards...
go between JFK
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
and LaGuardia
LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally...
to pick them up. Once they settle on an airport, George meets a convict, and takes the last Time Magazine available. The convict asks for it, but George refuses, saying he has a "blurb" in it. The convict tells him to look at the cover, which shows the convict's face and the headline "Caught!". George still refuses to hand over the magazine, despite threats from the convict. Kramer sees a former roommate of his, Grossbard, who owes him $240 from twenty years ago. Kramer hatches a scheme to get the money back that involves him and George buying tickets for the man's flight and boarding it, Kramer receiving his money and then they get off the plane and return the tickets. George buys into the scheme, as he decides it will give him more frequent flier miles, and he will just get his money back, he asks Kramer to buy two tickets. Kramer buys non-refundable tickets, claiming the woman who sold them convinced him it was a good deal, to George's dismay. They board the plane and Kramer confronts Grossbard, asking him for the money, when Grossbard claims he does not know who Kramer is, Kramer attempts to reach into his pocket and grab his wallet, which creates a scene. During this, George is waiting for the bathroom, and when the door opens up, it is the convict, unshackled, inside. He grabs George, pulls him into the bathroom and locks the door, and then continues to beat up George. Kramer is arrested and apparently in "serious trouble", but he escapes the security guard's grasp and runs away.
When Jerry and Elaine land, the model says goodbye to Jerry, and claims she will call him, while she is being followed by paparazzi. Elaine's bag never arrives (This was due to an earlier scene where Elaine complains to a man who handles their baggage that he does not deserve to be tipped. In revenge, he sends her luggage on a different flight to Honolulu.), and Kramer comes sliding down the baggage chute, as his escape was successful. The three of them leave, while George is seen on a seat in the airplane, flying to an unknown location, letting out a scream of exasperation (directed at Kramer), as the episode ends.
There is an alternative ending where George meets up with Elaine and Jerry at the baggage claim, beaten up, saying in a daze, "You won't believe what happened to me."
Production
- In the scene where Elaine is offered the kosher meal, the voice from across the aisle, claiming he had ordered it, is Larry David's. Another of his appearances, even though he's not actually shown.
- Writer of the episode Larry Charles makes an appearance coming out of an airplane bathroom before Elaine goes in. She has to hold her breath in order to stomach going in.
External links
- Episode Guide - TV.com
- Script - Seinfeldscripts.com