Or do all gate passholders need to go through General Boarding lanes? Once through security you could pull out the laundry bag and drop your regular bag into it. I remember at the time being explained that it was a random procedure. The US Transport Security Administration (TSA) was formed at this time and has increased security since with several schemes, including The Secure Flight program. I had SSSS on boarding pass 20 plus years ago in CVG (Cincinnati) as destination was Beirut to give medical lecture. Flying out of Montreal the screener was rude, making fun of his western accent. Security Checkpoint Hours. (In some instances, depending on the wait at your security line, it may actually prove quicker than waiting in that line.). Yes, I have seen them in the past, not recently though. Be prepared for additional screening at the gate. Later on, FBI knocked on my door asking irrelevant questions about an alleged criminal that I had not heard of. They swabbed my cheeks for gunpowder residue I guess every search under the sun including all the bags. Not at all. on AA from MAD-PHL business class. I suspect this was because of my unusual travel patterns (I traveled to some suspicious countries, booked a lot of one-way international flights, etc.). No lights went off, but there were a LOT of knowing looks at each other when I went to board the plane. The immigration secondary screening was very extensive, a 30 minute interrogation. I kind of understood why if was flagged, as that was very different from my usual flight pattern. 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. Fortunately, yes. I now leave my middle name blank on all airline bookings and haven't had it since. Should it happen again I think I will ask for the more private option. Turned out we had bought some cheese at the Vermont cheese factory and apparently that is the same consistency as some explosive. 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. Im just out for good blog material at this point. That was the only time. You always have the right to request a private pat-down. "Security" is the opposite of convenience. The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered. And how can you stop getting chosen, if youre consistently targeted? All checkpoints are ADA accessible for additional assistance please contact TSA Cares 72 hours prior to your flight. Your email address will not be published. You may also call to request assistance at the checkpoint. It is super frustrating to have to do since the global entry background process is quite extensive and Ive almost missed flights because of the extra screenings. Welcome to r/TSA. Like, if you cornered them to explain exactly how security was enhanced by re-checking the bag of a jetsetting terrorist 15 minutes after checking it the last time, what would they say? It was a long frustrating day. 2. The TSA agents were nice and apologetic. Had to go through a separate security line, with no one in it other than my wife and me. ( See She's So Special). At a minimum, theyll put two upside down bins around your items to separate them from everyone elses. Should the alarm sound, additional screening is required. We used to call it Specially Selected for Strip Search. Yes they are! There are five main checkpoints at SEA Airport featuring general, premium, CLEAR, TSA PreCheck, and ADA-friendly screening. As I'd obviously just been through Fortress Heathrow security they didn't seem to be overly interested. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. I think that it's nonsense. I already knew I was going to be subjected to a secondary. 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. I was going back to Turkey, I was flying out of Orlando airport. I've always wondered if check-in agents can also add SSSS to a pax. I have been screened from the first security check to escorted to the CT Scanner and the at the actual loading Gate. My guess is that some system would truncate the name, and then it wouldn't match passport details. TSA strongly urges travelers to remove all items from pockets. What Does SSSS On Your Boarding Pass Mean? Several years ago coming back to the US having visited Turkey was grilled at LAX for a good hour then enjoyed an entire summer of the dreaded SSSS! I really wish people would stop thinking that SSSS is discrimination against Muslims. All regular procedure. How to Carry Prescribed Medication on a Plane, How to Obtain Chinese Z Visa Health Check. and finally in 2020 I was not chosen any more and my feelings were hurt. The trick to success is diplomacy and communication. Instead youll get an error message saying that youll only be able to print your boarding pass at the airport. But if it's half full, that's NOT 3.5 ounces. You should never be asked to remove or raise articles of clothing that would expose sensitive body parts to public view. 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. The grabbing and searching of my crotch was traumatic and I didn't fly for a year. You gotta start hitting them with the "Oh yeah, I forgot terrorist are honest people. It means they didn't do their job the first time around. 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. He was probably wearing a cast or some type of medical device at that time, and when they performed the swab, there was probably an alarm, so a secondary patdown has to be conducted including a property search. Back then, it was Q's. Ive also dealt with some really uneducated TSA agents during the process. The TSA officer will not remove your child from his/her mobility aid, wheelchair or scooter. At this point, there will typically be at least two TSA agents involved, if not three. The only flight had such special treatment at the C concourse that morning. I've learned that if you reprint your domestic boarding pass at a kiosk (such as at MIA in your case) after the international flight, it will usually have pre-check on it, as the SSSS was really just for the international segment. Travelers can access all gates from any checkpoint. 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. Getting the dreaded SSSS on your boarding pass sure can be a pain. The worst part is that we travel carry on only which means I had scientifically fit as much as I possibly could into my carry on and personal bags. I know exactly why I was selected. Place all carry-on baggage such as children's toys, bags and blankets on the X-ray belt for screening. Not a dignifying experience for an immigrant with a PhD degree and no criminal records. TSA officers will continue the practice of changing gloves after each pat-down. I had the dreaded SSSS a couple of years ago and it was a big deal to me.! Problem solved by a gate agent. 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. I was worried because I had it on 4 consecutive trips. I've gotten SSSS 3-4 times over the last few years, though only ever on flights to the US, not departing the US. You never know when some underwear or shoe bomber or female maxipad bomber is going to take my life away. Every time I travel domestically or internationally, I am randomly selected around 70-80% of the time, they write. We were just told how many passengers to select for the extra screening on each flight and we just manually marked those passengers boarding passes at random. I already knew I was going to be subjected to a secondary. 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). Other unusual pat-down triggers include head coverings, even for religious purposes, or medical equipment that requires additional screening. The whole patdown, leaning forward and backward, wheelchair check, and the hand held metal detector check is just a normal procedure. It should have read we DID handle check in and boarding for a charter airline. Based on my understanding: As a very frequent flyer, Id say that nowadays I get SSSS on my boarding pass maybe a few times per year, typically on one-way international itineraries. I was flying back from PV, Mexico last week and was doing the online checkin for my wife and myself. Practical Travel Safety and Security Issues, Airport Body Scanning Raises Radiation Exposure, Committee Says, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, top three in this week's Strange But True at AviationWeek.com. Walk through the metal detector carrying your pet or guiding it by leash.Upon exiting, an officer. Children able to walk through the metal detector without assistance may do so separately from their parent or guardian. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. One guy patted me down, had a look through my carry-on and that was it. What then might influence whether youre chosen for enhanced screening? Less than a pleasant experience, but I guess that's what happens when you fly one way BCN-DOH and spend a few days there, followed by a one way from DOH-IAH. The line for SSSS was becoming longer and longer. Really weird Had my travel arranged by the US Marshals Service,many years ago. 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. Forchildren 13 years and older, TSAs standard screening procedures apply. However, they didn't know I also had a 1-year residency ID. 1. Since then it's never happened to me again. TSA officers will consult parents or the traveling guardian about the best way to relieve any concerns during the screening of a child. Flying out of Montreal the screener was rude, making fun of his western accent. Apply Online Submit an online application in 5 minutes & schedule an appointment at any of 500+ enrollment centers. 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 . When done properly, the secondary screening should not require a private setting. I am an airline crewmember and even in the crew line we are, at times, selected for extra security check and redirected to the public lane to have this completed. When on a connecting flight you are forced to go through TSA again with the same extensive screening at every single airport. Future experiment: Travel with someone, switch bags, and watch the TSA lose their minds. No. When I came back to the USA I was asked how long have I been out of the USA and do I have a job from passport control. This is the place for passengers to asks their questions and get answers for an upcoming flight. I havent had any major issues since. Had pre-check and GE, but whenever I couldn't check in for my flight I knew in advance I caught another SSSS. 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. So, the experience your'e telling was with CBP and not with TSA. One bag or all the bags (I had just tagged with my info. I was sent to Secondary and searched none the less. I had no idea what was going on and asked if I was in trouble, and they were like, "No, no, it's because the TSA put this SSSS on your boarding pass." I have been aware of this for over 30 yrs. These poor guys at TSA probably get enough abuse from passengers. Ill bring my Halliburton Zero. I had a lot of cash with me and of course they opened my bag, then questioned me about the amount of cash. It would be nice to know what list I'm on lol. I had to empty my bag and she also checked my belly and back for explosives. Formula, breast milk, toddler drinks, and baby/toddler food (to include puree pouches) are considered medically necessary liquids. Equipment that does not fit through the X-ray machine will undergo a visual/physical inspection by TSA officers. However, TSA has developed modified screening procedures for children who appear to be 12 years old and younger. They just need to make sure that they can turn on, so be sure you have battery power for all your electronics. How a regular jetsetter (me) became a jetsetter-terrorist. At one airport I got pulled for this, I was in a different concouse then my flight was departing and he wanted to know what I was doing. We had a connecting flight once we were back in the states as well. If a child 12 and under goes through the machine and alarms, they have an opportunity to go through again or the TSA officer may use other procedures to resolve the alarm to reduce the need for a pat-down. Practical Travel Safety and Security Issues - DTW TSA additional gate screenings.. - make me feel SO SAFE. According to the TSA: Have you ever had an SSSS on your boarding pass when taking a flight with an airline? The entire screening process takes anywhere between 10 and 20 minutes, in my experience, depending on how efficient the people screening you are. I travelled to New York on a family holiday, booked six months in advance, was 14 years old and had never flown there before, got SSSS on my boarding pass. There have been four firearm detections at PNS in 2023 as of Feb. 24. Enroll in person 10-min in-person appointment that includes fingerprinting for a background check. After about 10 minutes, a TSA Supervisor and someone from CLEAR came down and apologized to me. So I am more than welcome the extra security that is imposed. Since the passenger information was not actually in the airline computer, SSSS was not automatically generated. This SSSS on my ticket is ridiculous. I think it's important to note that it can happen much more on international journeys. I'm 74 and fly with medical issues. Don't know why. So likely those passengers are not ones who have normally been subjected to this. 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. I am not Muslim amd my name doesn't sound "muslim", yet I get picked a lot. Ive gotten this because of my global entry when flying back into the US from abroad (at the gate before boarding to fly back). They bring a little wheeled cart. I learned years ago for me the SSSS changed from 3 HAND WRITTEN RED INK MARKS ACROSS YOUR BOARDING PASS. Press J to jump to the feed. Market data provided by Factset. I'm so afraid to fly anymore. Ive sat at a gate just inside the checkpoint before and counted who got profile vs who didnt, and what their skin hue was. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Make your screening experience as smooth as possible and become familiar with the process. Since 9-11 I traveled with my mom and sister sometimes other friends or family to Las Vegas, Nevada from Dallas Ft. Worth , Texas no matter if it was the 3 of us or 5 of us. Gate screening - which can involve anything from identification checks to hand-wand metal detectors - was implemented after Sept. 11 as an additional layer of security. Anyways, people were nice and delay zero to none. Lol. He didnt understand the concept of dual citizenship. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. 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