Originally Posted by
AATrout
They'll do this at either Flagship checkin or if for some reason you decide to proceed to the counters inside. For the latter whether you are checking bags or not it's done by the AA gatekeeper at the head of the Priority/Biz/First entry point. If not checking anything you just go topside to FastTrack after that. I don't know if this is still done in the lounge or not since I almost always go to tGalleries or until recently the CX lounges. In any case, yes the questions are more intrusive but I don't see any data retention issues here. These screeners probably have a script and a daily print out to deal with hot-button phrases. No indication your answers are recorded/retained. None of them seemed concerned - or impressed when asked, I told them where I worked. Which was also the case the few times I've had TSA secondary back home.
Today I transited LHR arriving on BA (T5) and departing on AA (T3). After riding the bus from T5 to T3 and making the usual walk down the corridors and the escalator that has not been working for the past two months, there was a big surprise ahead. AA has recently moved its connection desks before the security checkpoint now. It's on the left-hand side of the hallway and a very large area. Elite status and premium class passengers are directed to the left, while the others stay to the right. There were a couple of ICTS people asking only a few very basic and typical questions as in the past (e.g., where are you coming from, where are you going, what were you doing and for how long). Perhaps it took 30 seconds and then the sticker was applied to the back of my passport and then I obtained my connecting boarding passes, which was maybe another minute or two. Afterwards, you leave the area and walk into the "new/temporary" security screening area that has been at T3 for about six months now. Completed the process as usual and then went to AAdmiral's Club and Flagship Lounge. None of the agents in the lounge asked questions, but reconfirmed they do not issue the ICTS sticker in the lounge now. You have to get it at either the connections center or departure gate. Based on today's experience, I recommend staying to the left and checking in at the new AA connections center to get the sticker and clear any formalities; otherwise, you will have to deal with the chaos in the holding area at the departure gate. Another benefit is to have the boarding passes printed with the TSA pre-check, which do not appear on other OneWorld carriers like BA when you check in somewhere else in the world on your way to the USA, although you can still get these in the lounge.