Secondary Security Check in YYZ
May 6, 2011, 7:53 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: YOW
Programs: 2MM, Lifetime E75K, Lifetime Hilton Diamond
Posts: 211
Secondary Security Check in YYZ
Is it just me or a coincidence that for the past 5 weeks clearing domestic security in YYZ, I was randomly tagged for a secondary search 4 times? Although I travel every week, I have rarely been tagged for secondary search (and no, I did not have 'SSSSS' printed on my boarding pass) until now, but lately it seems to be stepped up. It happens when entering the metal detector and it 'randomly' goes off to alert TSA to perform a secondary search.
Have others seen the same?
Have others seen the same?
May 6, 2011, 9:24 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: YYZ/DLC
Programs: AP, HHonours Diamond
Posts: 3,722
Is it just me or a coincidence that for the past 5 weeks clearing domestic security in YYZ, I was randomly tagged for a secondary search 4 times? Although I travel every week, I have rarely been tagged for secondary search (and no, I did not have 'SSSSS' printed on my boarding pass) until now, but lately it seems to be stepped up. It happens when entering the metal detector and it 'randomly' goes off to alert TSA to perform a secondary search.
Have others seen the same?
Have others seen the same?
May 6, 2011, 10:26 pm
#4
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: AC E
Posts: 644
I have never heard of the metal detectors going off randomly. Did you get new shoes? I used to leave mine on through domestic security, then got new shoes that set off the detector, so in the trays they went from then on, and no more trouble.
May 6, 2011, 10:52 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: YYC
Programs: AC E50k, Hilton HHonors, Novotel Aclub
Posts: 111
I saw this in YVR domestic last week. The metal detector chirped in a different tone when the passenger in front of me went thru. Overheard CATSA screener advise that the machine had randomly selected him for additional screening, and he underwent the (brief) secondary screening.
May 7, 2011, 8:50 am
#8
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Ottawa
Programs: AC SE*MM/S100K; HHonors Diamond; a bunch of others at various levels!
Posts: 1,580
There is nothing 'random' about the secondary searches, despite what CATSA tries to tell you. Some are selected because they meet some target requirements for additional attention; others are selected from non-target groups to make it appear that there is no targeting.
May 7, 2011, 8:54 am
#9
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Ottawa
Programs: AC SE*MM/S100K; HHonors Diamond; a bunch of others at various levels!
Posts: 1,580
'Random' selection is routine at YOW
I haven't seen this at YYZ, but at YOW all passengers must stand on a 'magic mat' that determines whether they are sent to a normal screening line or the pat-down/full body scan line.
May 7, 2011, 10:54 am
#10
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: YOW
Programs: AC SE, CO Silver, Delta Silver, Hilton Diamond, Sheraton Plat
Posts: 93
I have also had this happen quite frequently in the last few months. It's interesting how sometimes the screening ends up being quite haphazard as they know full well there is nothing to be found since nothing alarmed in any way. I always figure I'm the one that gets targeted to show there's no targeting.
May 7, 2011, 11:15 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: YOW
Programs: 2MM, Lifetime E75K, Lifetime Hilton Diamond
Posts: 211
I have also had this happen quite frequently in the last few months. It's interesting how sometimes the screening ends up being quite haphazard as they know full well there is nothing to be found since nothing alarmed in any way. I always figure I'm the one that gets targeted to show there's no targeting.
Just my 2 cents.
May 7, 2011, 4:15 pm
#12
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Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Did this happen going through one of the regular lanes or through the NEXUS fast track lane? Could be a new routine, but seems rather redundant now that they have the scatter scanners which should be used for any such "secondaries", or even primaries.
May 7, 2011, 4:19 pm
#13
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
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The transborder security line at YYZ uses this mat, it's been that way for about a year and a half now. Priority pass line doesn't use the mat.
May 7, 2011, 6:40 pm
#14
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Glen Abbey
Posts: 639
Whether you're going domestic or X-border, they have them all across this country. It was only a CATSA guy at YYG who took the time to tell me why they have these rubber mats.
May 7, 2011, 6:50 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: YOW
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Posts: 211
This happened at the domestic connecting security gate (second flr) in YYZ, using the priority lane.