Murray Goldberg

Is SSSS the same or similar to what happens when you fly out of AMS with Delta and you have to go to D1 and answer a load of questions? Or is it that and then some?

Loosely BA related, I know but since SSSS is being discussed..

reclusive46

Are you a dual citizen by any chance?

Almost every time I try and use the egates with my UK passport I get told to seek assistance. When they scan my UK passport, they then ask if I have my Canadian passport (and then scan that as well)? A colleague of mine has the same but with his US passport but other people I know don't have this happen to them at all.

When I Travel The World

I'm a Dual Citizen, and have never had an issue with my UK passport at the E-gates at LHR. And that's well over 300 flights in the last 2-3 years. Mainly arriving back into LHR.

itsmeitisss

Of course you did! You're not entitled to it. They are separate bookings and BA have no contractual obligations to allow to do what they have allowed you to do, yet you describe it as a poor customer experience on the part of BA. Yet it is something completely out of BA's control. You are doing two journeys under two separate contracts. BA is fully entitled to treat them as such, and usually does. Yet they make an exception and yet you still describe it as a poor customer experience. Time for a reality check methinks!

Often1

This has nothing to do with immigration. It is a DHS security issue and it also has nothing to do with BA. There is deliberately no workaround. OP is extremely lucky that BA was willing to permit him to drop the segment as it had no obligation to do so.

cgtechuk

Nah I have the same name as someone on the naughty list as whenever they scan my passport at the manned point someone else pops up and you can see them clearly say "no " not him lol

UKtravelbear

No. SSSS is an additional bag screen at the gate.

Mats

SSSS, known as a "quad" is an invention of the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA). It is separate from US Customs and Border Protection, and it is separate from the regular security checkpoint.

A certain percentage of passengers on flights to the United States get "SSSS" on their boarding cards. Sometimes this is random; sometime it is due to various "flags" (last-minute reservation, one-way, paid in cash).

The consequences vary. In the UK, passengers with an SSSS (known as "selectees") undergo additional screening immediately prior to boarding. In many cases, it is often just a bag inspection and swabbing. In others, instances, it can be a quick frisking; sometimes it is a very detailed frisking and interview. In the majority of situations, this takes five minutes or so; but it can take as long as 25 minutes. (Flights within the US or departing from the US are a different story).

British Airways has used some form of selectee screening since the 80s (it used to be a red star on the boarding card). In some cases an alarm will sound as the passenger's boarding card is scanned, and he or she will be sent aside for bag inspection.


The interviews conducted at D1 in Amsterdam are applied to all passengers on Delta metal to the USA.
Similar interviews are conducted prior to check-in and then again prior to boarding in European and South American airports for all passengers on US carriers.
The US government recently expanded this to include passengers on any airline, but this has been applied inconsistently.

The SSSS procedure is only for selectees.

orbitmic

You avoided it so far because only 1-2 people per flight are selected for SSSS, randomly. I have monthly trips to the US, often more, and have been SSSS'ed twice in total to date. Whatever you heard that it is a mere 'passport swipe' is nonsense. It is a fairly thorough and lengthy process which can take quite a long time (try it at LCY, it will be about 30 minutes).

With due respect, I think your second point is grossly mistaken. I join rossmad in suggesting that far from a 'poor customer experience', you have actually been exceptionally and unusually lucky and BA did something for you that they neither had to nor usually would do. As far as they are concerned, your ticket was from DUB to LAS via LHR and their contingency plan is to ensure that you can fly exactly that. What happens with your unconnected itinerary or luggage arrangements is, to be honest, none of their concern, and I am (very pleasantly) surprised that they suspended their rules and not only allowed you to fly ex-LHR but even refunded you some money whilst they were absolutely not obliged to do either thing.

KARFA

It's a lot more than 1-2 people per flight these days orbitmic. It used to be a lot lower before the changes last year but now it's more like 20%.

Vgravity

Picked up boarding pass from LHR this morning and it indeed has SSSS printed on it. A first time for me.

I regularly use Airportr, but this may well mean I can�t anymore.

orbitmic

Thanks ^ good to know as it is a right pain in the back when it happens! ex-LHR is ok as they have the process in place but on ex-LCY flights it can be a real chore!!

SuperstarDJ

I have global entry and have had SSSS once when doing an EX-AMS routing after positioning via LCY>AMS.

I think there may have been some missing hotel information, and when this was entered at LHR it seemed to clear the SSSS. Can�t be sure, but worth checking/trying to reissue at LHR.

KARFA

That doesn't sound like SSSS, more like missing APIS information which prevented check-in or bp issue until resolved. Once you are selected from SSSS I don't think BA staff have any ability to de-select you from it.

Globaliser

I wonder whether the strategy for the future might be something like this: Ensure that you have a long connection between DUB-LHR and LHR-LAS (or wherever the EU and US points are for the trip). Plan to use Airportr as usual. But if you find that you can't get the LHR-LAS boarding pass, then revert to plan B. That is to take your bags to LHR with you, try to check them in for LHR-LAS before you fly LHR-DUB. If you can't, store them in left luggage, fly LHR-DUB-LHR, exit to landside, retrieve the bags and then check them in for LHR-LAS. If you have left a long gap between DUB-LHR and LHR-LAS, then you should be covered. It is a bit of pain for those specific destinations because of the T5 / T3 split, but it should be much easier if you are doing a T5-T5 connection on the ex-EU ticket.