Did Rowan Atkinson's character purposely distract the check-in agent?

Question

In Love Actually, Rowan Atkinson saves Sam (and Daniel) whilst he helps Sam run and talk to Joanna to express his 'love' for her at Heathrow Airport.

Rowan Atkinson's character turns up at the check-in desk and asks the check-in staff to hold several items after then declaring that he has left his boarding pass where he was having a cup of coffee (all whilst Neeson's character Daniel is saying to his son: Sam, that he can't see Joanna, because they won't allow it):

ROWAN'S character:

I'm sorry, I must have left it where I was having a cup of coffee

Only, Rowan's exit in that scene is left with a very slight eyebrow raise to Daniel, Liam Neeson's character.

Did Rowan's character do this on purpose? Stall the check-in worker on purpose?

Is this supported by any further evidence that I have missed, or was it intentionally 'leave it for the audience'?

Answer 1

Angel, actually. According to the DVD commentary Atkinson's character initially was an angel named Rufus who was supposed to help all the characters in their romantic pursuits, courtesy of Mental Floss #15...

Rather than just an overenthusiastic gift wrapper with a good Samaritan streak at the airport, Atkinson's Rufus was initially written as a heavenly helper in disguise. A scene was even shot were he'd evaporate after helping Sam get past security at Heathrow. "But in the end," Curtis said in commentary, "the film turned out so sort of multiplicitous that the idea of introducing an extra layer of supernatural beings was (too much)."

Odds are this scene was shot early in the process and Rufus was still an angel.