Up in the Air Page #2

RYAN:

Don’t worry. We’ll be in touch

soon. This is just the beginning.

Steve nods and exits the room.

RYAN (V.O.)

I’ll never see Steve again.

6.

INT. RYAN’S ROOM - PHOENIX HILTON - DAY

The choreography of Ryan’s packing is worthy of Tchaikovsky.

A coat slides off a hanger... A travel toothbrush folds

closed like a switchblade... A briefcase clicks onto a roll-

away bag... A hand flips a light switch without looking.

INT. LOBBY, PHOENIX HILTON - DAY

Ryan is at the check out desk.

CHECKOUT GIRL:

Do you have your Hilton Honors Card

with you?

Ryan smiles... “Do I?”

He hands it to her, close enough to camera, that we get a

nice big close up of it. She runs the card and the screen

pops up with information that makes her blush.

CHECKOUT GIRL:

Oh my God... Do you like, live, at

the Hilton?

Ryan nods in faux modesty.

EXT. OUTDOOR CAR RETURN, HERTZ RENT-A-CAR - DAY

Ryan pulls up to one of the spaces marked with the #1 GOLD

PRESIDENTS CLUB emblem. He hops out and a uniformed man with a

handheld device begins to punch in the license plate number.

Ryan pulls out his HERTZ PRESIDENTS CLUB CARD and places it

nice and close to lens so we can see it.

The card slides through the handheld device and we see the

DIGITAL NUMBER increase by a few thousand points.

INT. MAIN CONCOURSE, PHOENIX SKY HARBOR INTL AIRPORT - DAY

The automated GLASS DOORS slide open. Ryan enters the

concourse and takes a deep breath of the temperately

controlled air. He has arrived.

RYAN (V.O.)

This is where I live.

Subtitles - “Airworld”

7.

Ryan skips the long lines and steps directly into the

AAdvantage Executive Platinum line.

Glorious close-up of Ryan’s AAdvantage Executive Platinum

CARD sliding through the AUTOMATED MACHINE. Were it any

sexier, we’d hear a moan. Maybe we even do.

Immediately, the AIRPORT CLERK registers and perks up.

AIRPORT CLERK:

Pleasure to see you again, Mr. Bingham.

RYAN (V.O.)

When I run my card, the system

automatically prompts the desk

clerk to greet me with this exact

statement.

We see it again...

AIRPORT CLERK:

Pleasure to see you again, Mr. Bingham.

Ryan nods back to the clerk.

RYAN (V.O.)

Had my status simply been gold or

God-forbid, silver. I might have

gotten a hello or a smile... Maybe.

Ryan continues to hit buttons, swiftly checking in.

RYAN (V.O.)

Loyalty is earned and rewarded with

these small touches. It’s these kinds

of systemized friendly touches that

keep my world in orbit.

A ticket begins printing. Ryan snaps it up.

INT. SECURITY - PHOENIX SKY HARBOR INTL AIRPORT - SAME

Ryan steps up and observes his line choices. He finds a few

Asian businessmen and hops in behind them.

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