By logging into your account, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, and the use of cookies as described therein. Twice random in Geneva Switzerland on Delta a year apart when I lived there and was flying to the USA. A Checkpoint: Standard | 3:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. Please prepare to show ID and present your bags to an agent for inspection." And how can you stop getting chosen, if youre consistently targeted? Happened to my 12 year old daughter (!?!) Although the TSA follows a "risk-based approach" when adding security measures, TSA spokeswoman Lara Uselding told the Associated Press that the move to restore random gate checks developed "as the agency evolved," not because of a specific threat. And play Musical Bags while the TSA is setting up. Only me. So likely those passengers are not ones who have normally been subjected to this. Or perhaps a large, heavy duty, plastic shopping bag from a department store would be less bulky. He was probably asked as well if he would like the second pat down to be done right then and there or to a private room, embarrassed by what was happening, on top of being in a wheel chair he agreed to be taken to a private room. Twice random in Geneva Switzerland on Delta a year apart when I lived there and was flying to the USA. I am not Muslim amd my name doesn't sound "muslim", yet I get picked a lot. Practical Travel Safety and Security Issues - DTW TSA additional gate screenings.. - make me feel SO SAFE. Security measures begin long before you arrive at the airport. It was a pain, but everyone was pleasant, polite, and professional. The SSSS is just an SSSS. If you only get an SSSS on your boarding pass on one trip, you have nothing to worry about. IND is the site of the first TSA Pre Application Center, which is located in Civic Plaza next to the Concourse B exit. This also applies to breast milk and formula cooling accessories, such as ice packs, freezer packs, and gel packs (regardless of presence of breast milk). I felt bad for the screeners doing such an unpleasant unrewarding job. The way you stalk all these posts shouting down people talking about their wctual experiences is pretty telling. Back then, it was Q's. Only me. Only when we get to the head of the line and when the TSA Agent says to my wife My wife has TSA Precheck, and I have Global Entry. It was close to 25 minutes I must say. The way youll want to address this is by applying for a Redress Number. Lol. Airport security has existed for 50 years now, and even when the sterile area was open to everyone and their dog, firearms were never allowed past the checkpoint. I didnt know about the SSSS code but I will certainly look for it on our next trip in April. They searched every last inch of me and my belongings in Doha, swabbing every single item in my carry on, palms of my hands, socks/shoes, watch, phone, literally everything. Since then it's never happened to me again. You are one of those people posting made up stories that to a trained personnel that knows the process cannot hold water to demonize these government agencies. Children will not be separated from their parent/guardian. New Era Of TSA Crazy: Im Missing 50% Of My Flights Now. This became a "thing" not too long after 9/11. I was sent to Secondary once at JFK immigration after being asked by the agent why I (a woman) was traveling alone on an international route. They don't need it - if they want to know something about you and it came back ugly they would have done it long before you even boarded that plane and into the US. Then youll be asked to go through the full body scanner. I remember at the time being explained that it was a random procedure. Im not sure if the TSA came up with the abbreviation first and then came up with words to justify it, or if it was the other way around. A half dozen of the people on our 767 were screened in like 30 seconds each, and we were then the first to board the plane. It took me a very long time to get everything to fit again. I think it was triggered because the airline cancelled all my flights and I had to reschedule all flights (their fault), I was also traveling alone (my friends had chosen other airlines) and in 2018/2019 I traveled with my mother. Children 12 and under can leave their shoes, light jackets and headwear on during screening. I hate gate screenings, expecially if on a Southwest flight. The requirement also applies to all direct flights to the US from abroad. I was flying out of SLC and had a CLEAR Card. Although not required, to expedite the screening process, it is recommended that formula and breast milk be transported in clear, translucent bottles and not plastic bags or pouches. I was sent to Secondary and searched none the less. If you just get this as a one-off thing, dont be worried. Unfortunately, some Americans are fed by the media propaganda that middle easterns are a threat to their national security. As I'd obviously just been through Fortress Heathrow security they didn't seem to be overly interested. As a TSA agent told me years ago--"looks like you're going to be our ssssssssspecial friend today!" It existed before TSA did. It was a long frustrating day. The trips that we booked were canceled and we had to book the available and inexpensive route. I also got tagged quite often for having a "Diplomatic Passport" returning to the states at TSA prescreening. Once through security you could pull out the laundry bag and drop your regular bag into it. What Is TSA PreCheck, And Is It Worth It? They just pull aside anyone who they dont like the way they lookif they are black and have expensive clothes or jewelry, or if they are Hispanic, one officer told the New York Times. Well, well preface this by stating the obvious: The TSA isnt forthcoming about its selection process. Card for turkey. Department of Homeland Securitys website. I also was wearing a blouse with Lynn meaning I think that mightve touched off something as well. Travelers requiring special accommodations or concerned about the security screening process at the airport may request assistance by contacting TSA Cares online at http://www.tsa.gov/contact-center/form/cares or by phone at (855) 787-2227 or federal relay 711. Its the only positive aspect of the experience. Omg, this happened to me. Itll add quite a bit of time to the screening process, and is invasive, as theyll touch every inch of youand your bag. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/32957073-post2009.html. They made me take out each item one by one and even examined inside my camera's cleaning tissues. When on a connecting flight you are forced to go through TSA again with the same extensive screening at every single airport. 1. I already knew I was going to be subjected to a secondary. American Airlines Adds Family Seating Policy Ahead of DOT Dashboard, Lufthansa Allegris: A First-Class Suite Coming in 2024, World of Hyatt Announces the Return of Bonus Journeys, New Tool Aims to Help Travelers Get Most from Hotel Points, Frontier, United Put Family Seating in Focus, Lufthansa Grounds Flights After IT Outage, Delta Rewards American Express Cardholders with TakeOff 15, Turn Quick Points into Free Nights Faster with Hilton Hotels Limited Offer, Marriott Bonvoys "No Limits" Promotion Earns More in Less Time. Once traveling with a colleague who didnt have Global Entry, attempting to exit through Customs at JFK, I was selected for search but when they looked at my receipt, they sent me through and selected my colleague who was behind me in the line. Right? My husband was put on the list when it started. When it hit me what theyre trying to do with their obnoxious security audits at the gate. Call TSA Cares 72 hours priorto traveling with questions about screening policies, procedures and what to expect at the security checkpoint. As soon as boarding begins, one of them announces loudly: Attention passengers. The secondary screening, or pat-down, doesn't need to be traumatic and can usually be avoided altogether if you know what to expect and follow passenger rules. Or waiting until they are busy harassing someone else before boarding. I remember getting the SSSS on UA back in 2002 or 2003, once but no more than twice. If you choose this option, an additional TSA officer will be present during the procedure, and you can request a friend or family also witness the screening. Granted I don't fly nearly as much as most of you, but I haven't seen this since 2002 when they would announce people over the intercom that had been chosen. Who knows. An agent went through my bags with me, did residue testing, and asked a few questions. I just wanted to give my recent experience with Southwest Airlines and getting randomly selected for secondary security screening. No. I dont recall ever having secondary screening on a domestic flight. You gotta start hitting them with the "Oh yeah, I forgot terrorist are honest people. FBI wanted fugitives. The stress ruined my whole trip back. They are there to do a thankless job. In JFK there weren't any people manning the ticket counters and he couldn't print his own pass. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screens all airline passengers and baggage prior to boarding commercial aircraft. Theres no way to know when you book whether youll get the dreaded SSSS. However, if youre going to get it, you generally wont be able to load a mobile boarding pass, or print your boarding pass at home. SSSS stands for secondary security screening selection. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners at airports check passengers and personal items for dangerous items such as weapons, chemicals and liquids that are not allowed as carry-on items. Liquids and gels must be in individual containers of 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less and placed inside one clear, quart-size, plastic, zip-top bag (such . Not only will they look at everything, but theyll swab your itemsto check them forany residue. I was averaging a trip to Secondary about once a year up until Global Entry was created. Simply put, an SSSS on your boarding pass means that youre getting an extra thorough search when you go through security. Ive also dealt with some really uneducated TSA agents during the process. We used to call it Specially Selected for Strip Search. Never had it before and after. This is very, very old news. I traveled very frequently when I was in medical school and I ended up on the SSSS list almost every other time that I flew. Uselding said letters were sent to airlines last week informing them of the security change, although the new gate screening procedures have been in place for a couple of months. . The use of 'SSSS' codes has been formalized and strengthened under this, but its use has been reported before. ( See She's So Special). I must say nothing out of the ordinary happened except I wasnt able to get a mobile boarding pass (I chalked it up to the destination). Bet they wondered who I actually was!!! My partner was for once happy that I insisted on arriving even earlier than usual. The trick to success is diplomacy and communication. I once had a heated argument with an AAgent at check-in, and then I got the SSSS boarding pass. Lol). Its not the TSAs fault, and the agent isnt any happierabout having to perform the secondary search than I am. My Lady title was a fun gift, from my daughter, that you can buy so Im nowhere on the internet or any posh lists. My title began with Lady rather than Mrs. Did you change anything from the previous post? Even better when travelling with multiple people in your party, make sure you all have identical luggage. Infants may be carried in a sling/carrier (to include lap baby) through the walk-through metal detector or when being screened in a wheelchair, but may be subject to additional screening. You always have the right to request a private pat-down. Now I dread having to repack my carry on in a hurry again. Just drive to a destination. You could carry a folded up laundry bag inside your shoulder bag. They swabbed my cheeks for gunpowder residue I guess every search under the sun including all the bags. Checkpoint-friendly laptop bags The TSA will allow passengers to leave their laptop computers in bags that meet "checkpoint-friendly" standards. Over on a recent Reddit thread, u/pooldoost described their frustration with so-called random selections for additional security screening. I learned years ago for me the SSSS changed from 3 HAND WRITTEN RED INK MARKS ACROSS YOUR BOARDING PASS. However, after reading the Flyertalk forum about it because I was convinced I was going to have to apply for a redress #, I learned that it's much more likely to happen during international trips. We had a connecting flight once we were back in the states as well. I had the dreaded SSSS a couple of years ago and it was a big deal to me.! Later on, FBI knocked on my door asking irrelevant questions about an alleged criminal that I had not heard of. Theres nothing random about that. The person checking me in is inputting info in his computer. How to Earn Airline Miles While Sheltering in Place, We Called and Asked: These European & Middle East Airlines Are Retaining Status, By logging into your account, you agree to our. How I Mess With Airline Staff At The Gate For Being TSA Puppets, Flying Out Of A Small Town Airport: Aka The TSA Goes Bananas. Their shoes, light jackets and headwear on during screening 25 minutes i must say my Personal Information https... During the process you got ta start hitting them with the `` Oh yeah, i forgot are... Ssss a couple of years ago for me the SSSS boarding pass on one trip, you have nothing worry. A threat to their national security Attention passengers on in a hurry again forgot. Agent told me years ago and it was close to 25 minutes i must.... 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