Until last year, when travelling to USA with KLM/Delta you got directed to gate D1, received a Guantanamo style interrogation and then given a ticket to your actual gate. It's gone now.

Anyone know why they abandoned the idea after only a few years?

In general have airlines relaxed their pre-America questions? Haven't been asked a single thing in the last few trips whereas previously I've had some pretty invasive, borderline inappropriate, things asked.