dvs7310

I checked in for my flight on NH1006 (UA9720 codeshare) HND-LAX and got tagged with SSSS.

Not terribly excited about that, first time in many years I've had it and never when departing a foreign country before. Also find it very strange I was tagged (UA *G) and my girlfriend wasn't (UA no status), both same itinerary, ticketed together, etc but c'est la vie in any case. I'll just give her the carry on luggage going through security and boarding, completely defeating the whole idea of "secondary security".

My question though is, at Haneda I've certainly never noticed any place in the initial security area for secondary security. What should I expect in terms of additional screening and where does it happen?

gavin1989

SSSS is done at the gate after they scan your BP. Last time, the GA took me to the table behind the podium. It's totally nonsense as they are basically recheck your carry on bags again. Only takes about 5 secs or so.

But I do notice that in HKG, all pax are rechecked before boarding after entering the jet bridge. This happened too when I flew Asiana from ICN to JFK a week ago.

dvs7310

It also caused a secondary "name verification" at security. This actually turned out to be a 10 minute botched process thanks to a mixture of the utter incompetence of Haneda's private security contractors and the equal incompetence of the guy I got for Business Class check in.

First the security contractor had not a clue what he was doing, had to ask others... then because at check-in ANA decided to remove my middle initial from my name (because UA puts it there on their tickets) I no longer matched their pre-printed list of SSSS pax. Security had to call the ANA supervisor who came several minutes later and simply said to me, it's ok, go on through (Thank God supervisors seem to be allowed to use common sense as lower staff level in Japan are clearly not!). No additional security there other than the nonsensical name check. (Why the hell full middle name vs middle initial vs no middle name has to cause so many problems in Japan is beyond me, in international businesses like Airports they see this all the time). Finally as you mentioned, it's a mandatory screening at the gate rather than random, but since my girlfriend had all of our carry on luggage, there was nothing for them to screen, just did an explosives swab on my clothes and were done.

ORDnHKG

Actually not all pax, only for flights to US or thru flight numbers to the US regarding secondary carryon bag check at the jetbridge after boarding. You won't see this secondary check if you are flying to BKK or NRT on NH/CX.

onaward

Sorry for taking this off topic, but how was your flight? I'm wondering because I'm on the same flight later this year and have read mixed things about it.

TIA

gavin1989

Yeah, you are right. It only applies to flights to US.

Thanks for clarification.

dvs7310

I would say a lot could be improved, but considering it got me to LA on Friday night rather than Saturday noon-ish as a NRT flight would then it's a fair trade.

Negative points:
1) Lounge is too small at HND and full at that time of the night due to a fair number of *A midnight departures. They tried to send people off to a restaurant with JPY 3,000 each in vouchers instead, saying there were no seats in the Lounge. I went to the lounge anyway where check in staff still claimed no seats but would let us in if we didn't mind having to stand. I said that's fine as I just wanted a couple of drinks before the flight anyway. Needless to say it was crowded but we had absolutely no problem getting 2 seats.

2) Seats in C are old angle flat and too short, I'm 6 foot tall and when in bed mode, the leg rest either hurts my feet if I have the footrest open or my calves if I don't use the footrest, can't win.

3) Dinner is served before landing, not after departure. Problem with this is at this point I would rather have more sleep than food but they wake the cabin up 3 hours before landing. This is a sore spot I've always had with ANA, that they do the pre-landing meal far too early and could easily give pax a lot more time to sleep still without rushing it. I still had time to nearly finish an entire movie between the meal and landing.

Positive points:

1) Arrival into LAX around 6:30pm, which in TBIT is nearly empty at immigration. Wait time was only 1-3 minutes in either the US Citizen lane or Foreigners lane

2) Flight attendants were friendly and attentive

Overall, I feel the only good reason to take this flight is the advantageous departure time if you want to leave after work rather than the middle of the afternoon or early evening from NRT (and that does make a strong argument). If/when they upgrade the seats it'll make a big difference but I don't see the other negatives changing anytime soon.

Now if you're unlucky enough to get the SSSS, make sure you allow a little extra time for security in case you get a group that doesn't know what it really means. I have a feeling at Narita it's a lot smoother as there are far more flights to the US.

BalbC

I thought secondary screening only applied on flights to US operated by a US-based carrier. Is it now for any flights or is it just because this was on a UA flight number?

markso

Out of the blue on my return trip from 5 days in Cabo San Lucas my ticket is branded with SSSS. This for a Nexus/Pre/Global Entry traveler.

On the way down it was Pre in SEA, on the way back, didn't realize the code on my boarding pass, but soon guessed it. In Cabo they swabbed everything down and put the pads into their portable nitrate readers... with no response -- dead batteries (saw them swapping them out as I boarded). Boarded OK. In LAX running 15 minutes behind, used Global Entry though the passport reader wasn't working... but there is a manual way to input flight info -- fingerprint worked and I was on my way to be screened again for the LAX-SEA (a process I find annoying -- just put officers in San Jose like they do Dublin, Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, etc)

And then the fun began -- a) no pre- line b) the freaked look on the initial check person, c) no communication between staff and they almost let me go through the just metal detector line rather than the back scatter which I TOLD them they wanted me in the back scatter line, d) trying to test my McCormicks Montreal Steak Seasoning (Costco size) with liquids to detect god knows what -- and she didn't seem to know how to use the liquids or what to look for. Heard comments about "having to call it in" and some phrase "shielded" or something -- took it to mean to not let me out of their site.

Bottom line -- 30 minutes lost that I could have been happily eating and drinking in the Board Room (Alaska flights).

Details: round-trip paid ticket, free upgrades. Yes, I like bulkhead aisle in First Class (apparently another flag). Personal not business trip. Carry-on only (another flag -- 5 days to holiday vacation and no checked luggage?)

All that said -- the renovation of Terminal Two in Cabo is GREAT -- free Wi-Fi from Carls Jr. with the wifi code: areasmexico

AA_EXP09

and down under

onaward

Now after having taken the flight I agree with almost all of this except I didn't see the lounge and didn't have a problem with the seat. The seat lay flat enough for me and I slept well on it. I also thought the meal and service was very good.