Strange ssss experience
 

Had a weird one yesterday. We were supposed to be flying out of SAN to YYZ at noon and after two delays (bring it to a 5:00 pm departure) decided to bail and head to LAX. Given the circumstance, they moved us over free of charge and booked us on the 3:05 pm out of LAX. Incidentally after we left LA they finally cancelled our SAN flight, so felt pretty good about the move.

When we checked in we were both given boarding passes with the dreaded ssss. When I commented, the check in agent said it wasn't that bad and not to worry about it. She then noticed that our frequent flyer miles were not on the boarding pass. She added them and printed out new boarding passes and like magic the ssss disappeared on both passes and we zoomed through security.

I guess it pays to be *G if you are a potential terrorist. Anyone have any other explanation?

My stab at an explanation is that the ssss is randomly generated and each time a boarding pass is printed it re-runs the ssss lotto. The first time the boarding pass was generated you were a "hit", the next time you were a "miss". The system could be more sophisticated and include some sort of algorithm (also know as profiling) that increases or decreases the chances of ssss based on a range of factors including frequent flyer status.

If my guess is correct, then this points to a flaw in the system since all a terrorist would need to do is ask for a repreint on the boarding pass when they see the ssss.

Hmm it that "R" in my name didn't print, it might cause a problem. can you re-print the pass please? :D :D

I think the FF number provides them with another avenue to get information about you, so perhaps it reduced the number of "demerits" you have to bring you below the SSSS line.

Seems plausible, but certainly a little odd. Given that I have a sample of two people with what should be more or less the same score, it would make sense than some random algorithm that hit us both and then missed us both.

Anyone know if AC gets to decide or a third party? If AC decides are they given an algorithm that they must follow? Or do I risk getting ssss forever for daring to ask the question? :)

Anecdotally, of course, I recently had an issue with an America West boarding pass, had to have it reprinted, and asked to add my frequent flyer # (*A silver) to it, both times it came out with SSSS. I even asked the woman at the counter if I could get it waived, but no.

This was part of a greater mess of a day - flight canceled, rebooked out of a nearby airport, got to connection, flight canceled, rebooked with an extra connection. I also managed to win the lovely "SSSS" lottery on each freaking boarding pass that day. I was wondering if I'd made some karma god angry?

The reason I think it is some sort of "points" system, is that my friend "John Smith" (his real name) is given the old SSSS every, single time he travels in the U.S.

I recall reading somewhere that "SSSS" is triggered by a ticket purchase within 2 hours of flight departure.

I recently volunteered to give up my seat on an AC direct flight so that a family of 4 could travel all together. The gate agent rebooked me on 2 United segments and my first boarding pass had "SSSS" - I assume because it was considered to be a new booking and was within 2 hours of departure. (My Aeroplan number was printed on both BPs, so no difference there.)

Since the gates were adjacent I didn't need to re-clear security so it wasn't an issue and I didn't get flagged on my next trip to the U.S.

It sounds as though you were in a similar situation when you re-routed to LAX - must have been via United, right? Therefore a new booking.

RP

Wow, that gamble paid off big. ^ :)

I got the dreaded quadruple S early this afternoon at IAH checking in for a CO flight to POS. The place was practically deserted from ci through security and all the way to the gate, so it wasn't a big deal as I didn't line up at all for security. It may have been because the ci agent dinged me for overweight baggage (52.5 lbs!! Those extra 2.5 lbs cost me $25).
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13F

one way tickets and short purchase make the tickets go SSSS UGH!

There's been discussion that those with an FF account are less suspect as a terrorist than any random person.

A couple months ago I was rerouted from a canceled AS fight onto UA. The Sx4 printed, but I was already behind security, so I just headed to the gate. GA saw the Sx4, asked if I had an FF number (I was a UA nobody at the time) and reprinted the BP with no SSSS.

Also, reroutings to another airline also looks like an immediate cash purchase one way on the next available flight... the US Government doesn't like that.

I used to get SSSS all the time. Much of my travel is short notice, very often my itinerary changes in the middle of a trip. I have purchased walk up tickets from various points in North America to LHR, NRT and FRA, as well as other points in North America simply because my schedule has changed.

I found that once I hit Platinum on DL my SSSS stopped showing up on DL walk up tickets. This happened with US as well when I hit Gold. I think it is because this type of travel is common on my FF account history.

Oddly enough I once did a walk up from JFK to KWI, with approximately four hours on the ground at KWI to photograph a quick assignment, and I had no SSSS and I was never questioned by the ticket agent or any US or Kuwaiti officials about my itinerary......I expected that one to set off alarm bells.

I don't think it's that complex. It's kinda like how you think the CBP and CBSA guys taking your passport know how much money you make, where you were, your pet's names, and so forth, but all they have is a screen that says whether or not you're a customs or immigration hit. You change flight plans, or buy one way ticket, or buy ticket with cash that day, you get SSSS.

To base SSSS on status would be preposterous; in theory, wouldn't they do a lot of flying so they could understand what they're doing. I've always gotten SSSS (but I'll be sure to try this trick out) when I change, and I'm an E. And of course, in this post nine-eleven world, you can't be too certain :rolleyes:

Exception to all theories
 

FWIW I was voluntarily re-routed same day CLE-YYZ to CLE-MHT-YYZ and there was no ssss and no elite frequent flier number on the bp. That goes against all theories. The type of aircraft and routing may have something to do with it (in this case ERJ-145 and B19 - poor choices for troublemakers),