Airport BP Pickup
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: British Airways Executive Club Gold
Posts: 70
Airport BP Pickup
Just checked in 2 people for a flight to US tomorrow. Both are british and travel to the states frequently.
In the final stage of check in one passenger can print their BP as normal but for the other one, it says airport pickup only.
Any thoughts on the reason for this?
In the final stage of check in one passenger can print their BP as normal but for the other one, it says airport pickup only.
Any thoughts on the reason for this?
#2
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: BA GGL, A3*G, Mucci de l'expertise des Apps
Posts: 3,366
Most likely the other person is Selected for enhanced Secondary Security Screening at the gate (having their hand baggage unpacked, inspected, electronics turned on, everything swabbed).
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SE1, London
Posts: 23,435
Indeed, they will have the pleasure of their entire hand luggage contents being laid bare for all to see in the jet bridge area. The staff are nice but the process embarrassing and a charmless violation of privacy.
#4
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Ipswich
Posts: 7,543
In which case, the person who has a BP might be advised to carry as much as possible in their hand baggage, leaving the other person relatively unemcumbered.
(Assuming both people are travelling together and happy to share possessions of course).
(Assuming both people are travelling together and happy to share possessions of course).
#5
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Canada
Programs: BA Gold (OWE), Star Alliance Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,194
Yes you can do this, which really shows how pointless the whole process is. When my partner got an SSSS, he just gave me his bag and then had nothing on his person (It was the quickest ever security search )
#6
Join Date: Aug 2003
Programs: BAEC GGL, LTG & CCR; IC RA; Hilton D (free from BA)
Posts: 401
On my last trip, last week, partner was selected for secondary at the gate, but didn't have SSSS, the agent said it was a random addition. She lost 5 minutes of First as a result haha ...
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,531
Yes, SSSS inspection is quite fast at LHR it is VERY slow at LCY, took me nearly 40 freaking minutes.
#8
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,964
#9
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,804
As noted elsewhere, however, SSSS is not the main cause of this now: there is a new check which is either in addition to, or perhaps replaces SSSS, and involves swabs for explosive. A much higher percentage of passengers get it, and it is done upstairs at the gate in LHR (since they need people to be seated for sock swabs) rather on the lower level on the tressle tables, and they are not getting SSSS on their boarding passes. There is a system check at the gate to ensure all those nominated are processed by the G4S agent. SSSS continues in the USA and on US airlines, but that is done differently to the protocols used by European airlines.