I've read many references to the first passenger to board being pulled aside at the gate for the "random" screening. I've observed this myself, too. As I approached the gate at PHL for a US mileage run on Saturday, I had successfully avoided this extra screening 13 times since 9/11.

The first two passengers in line were a couple, and they were not pulled aside. I was the third passenger, so I figured maybe they don't pull couples so as to speed things up. I momentarily feigned confusion while reading my boarding pass to allow enough time for the fourth guy in line to pass me, hoping he'd be pulled. But he wasn't, and the gate agent checked my ID, took my boarding pass, and gave me my stub.

I thought I had cleared my 14th boarding, but no such luck. I was very politely asked to step aside for a screening, which was performed by an extremely friendly and pleasant ITS agent. After a thorough body search, I was sent on my way.

I wonder whether:
1) The "pull the first pax" method is being replaced with actual random searches,
2) The gate agent noticed me pause and decided I might be trying to get out of the search (doubt it), or
3) The gate agent noticed that I was a neatly dressed man with no carry-on items, which I've noticed get searched a lot.

[This message has been edited by ManyMiles (edited 12-11-2001).]