Bobster

I was with my 87 year old father at PHX. He had a little carry-on bag with only a few things in it while I was struggling with a heavy full size carry-on and a heavy shoulder bag. He got SSSS because his driver's license is expired. It was the full 20 minute examination; they pressed every inch of his coat against the table feeling for weapons, they asked him why he needed a whole package of disposable razors, they took his crossword puzzle book and flipped through every single page of it. Meanwhile my laptop, plus two bags full of electronic gear, cameras, batteries, cables, shoes, coat, etc., all zip through the scanner in 5 seconds. And I also had disposable razors but was not interviewed.

Assuming for a minute my 87 year old father might actually be a terrorist, based only the knowledge that he's too old to drive a car and didn't get a current photo ID to replace the old license, why would they only give him SSSS when it's so plainly obvious that I'm the member of our group who is actually carrying a lot of stuff? For all they know, we could have swapped bags a few seconds before reaching the security checkpoint, so now maybe I'm the one with something to hide. The absurdity of this makes it hard to forget about.

Did they make a rare mistake by overlooking me, or is this SOP?

Texas_Dawg

SOP. Expired driver's license automatically gets the SSSS. Had to deal with this recently when my Texas driver's license expired, forcing me to finally have to go to an NYC (where I live now) government office (which, similar to most TSA stations, was a teeming oasis of intelligence, enlightenment, reason, etc.) to get a new one.

Bobster

That wasn't the question, was wondering why his fellow traveler who had valid ID didn't get SSSS also.

By the way, while going through the ID and BP inspection I mistakenly showed my "Extraseat" BP to the checker. She spent several minutes over that and had to call a supervisor to approve my entry to security. She said it was weird, a waste of money, and she'd never seen anything like it before. The supervisor asked me why I had an extra seat, I responded that I wanted extra space, he said OK. Duh!?!

Loren Pechtel

Post 9/11 but while it was still gate checking my wife once got it and I didn't. Not only is it a little silly to check only one of two people holding hands but we have identical rollaboards--and it turned out that the one she was carrying was mine.

coachrowsey

More TSA stupidity. Makes 0 sense to me.

MKEbound

The real question is does SSSS of ANYONE make any sense?

Since the answer is NO, then what difference does it make if they harass your 81 year-old companion or both of you? It doesn't make sense either way!

Global_Hi_Flyer

Even the US Passport office will accept an expired passport as proof of citizenship and identity.... but not TSA.

OTOH, be thankful that you didn't get SSSSd just because you were traveling with him.

GUWonder

Those passengers (excepting certain exemptees) unable to present currently valid (i.e., unexpired) government-issued photo ID are chosen/sent for haraSSSSment screening.

That said, haraSSSSment screening at our airports is part of that dog and pony show that goes by the name of "security".

Flaflyer

Come on, fess up, didn't it give you a warm fuzzy feeling inside to KNOW for sure that A. Your wife is not a terrorist and B. She was not trying to sneak her non terrorist contraband that she did not have by hiding it in your rollaboard?

Seriously your episode shows the whole idiocy of TSA: making rules and then rigidly following same, rather than doing what is best to increase security. Like screening those tons of cargo under your feet (that walked barefoot throught the "R. Reed Memorial WTMD."

It used to be funny to suggest the only way to carry the general public would be when they are "Naked and Sedated." The folks dreaming up the shoe carnival and water ban and 3.4 oz. shampoo rules are headed that direction at warp speed. It will no longer surprise me when it becomes TSA policy.