Originally Posted by JTG

It's been a couple years since I was flagged for secondary screening. Then, on Monday LAX-SFO I was tagged SSSS. Last night, doing online checkin, I was again able to check in, but not print boarding pass, so I figure I'm in for the touchy-feely dance again today.

So, nothing for 2 years, then twice in a week. Is it just coincidence, or was I possibly flagged because of my trip to Johannesburg SA last week, which I assume is not on some sort of TSA watch list?

Originally Posted by LessO2

After I flew to JNB, I didn't immediately get the SSSS job.

If you're flying with someone else, I would just suggest giving your bag(s) to them so they aren't subject to the sticky-fingers people and to speed up your harassment.

Originally Posted by myrgirl

Just a little food for thought:
If TSA catches you pass your bags off to a fellow traveler, they are supposed to secondary them and their bags too.

Originally Posted by myrgirl

Just a little food for thought:
If TSA catches you pass your bags off to a fellow traveler, they are supposed to secondary them and their bags too.

Originally Posted by Spiff

HaraSSSSment is 100% unacceptable.

Make sure you file a complaint every time this despicable practice occurs. :td:

Originally Posted by Bart

"Secondary screening" is often misused in this forum. There are three types of screening:

1. Selectee screening. This refers to the computer-generated mandatory screening signified by the SSSS on the boarding pass. Federal regulations promulgated by TSA spell out the criteria for selectee screening, and the airlines have the authority to make certain exemptions. As posted previously, I personally don't think selectee screening adds to security. However, I recognize the political reality that this type of screening will never go away. It's a lot like seat belt laws in that no one will step forward to lift the mandatory requirement without suffering major political repercussions.

2. Continuous screening. This is the practice of screening passengers at random even though they successfully passed through the WTMD. The concept here is to pick the very next person (in order to avoid allegations of racial, ethnic or other forms of discriminatory profiling) for repetitive screening as a back-up to the primary screening. I object to this practice for two reasons: either we did it right the first time or we did not; therefore, no need to do it again....and, after a person who goes through the trouble to correctly divest all metallic objects, perhaps even remove criteria shoes and successsfully pass through the WTMD only to be picked for random screening strikes me as pure harassment. I think that once a person successfully passes through the primary screening method (WTMD), then that person should be cleared. However, I don't share the same approach when it comes to continuous screening of property, and I think random screening of carry-ons, particularly electronics and especially laptops, is a prudent measure. I mention laptops because the majority of the time, they are already out of the bag, and it is no more inconvenient for the passenger to place it back in the carrying case after ETD screening than it is after x-ray screening. Still, nowadays, I simply don't have the luxury of continuous screening. Our manning is at a bare bones minimum, and I prefer to send screeners to breaks whenever there's a lull in the traffic flow. They come back to the floor refreshed and with a more positive attitude.

3. Secondary screening. While used interchangably with the terms above, this term refers to follow-up screening to resolve alarms or concerns from the primary screening methodology. In the case of the passenger, when that person alarms the WTMD for the second time, hand-wanding is the secondary screening method to resolve the alarm resulting from the primary screening method. It also applies to physical/ETD checks of property that either contain prohibited items or appear to contain prohibited items on the x-ray scan, or are so cluttered that the possibility of prohibited items cannot be ruled out. Either way, this is the basic nuts-and-bolts of security screening.

In FlyerTalkWorld, each one of these different types of screening are referred to as "retaliatory screening." :D :rolleyes: :p

Originally Posted by PoliceStateSurvivor

Part of the problem is: Who do you complain to/against?

TSA says airlines select passengers, airlines say it is TSA mandate. Neither accepts responsibility.

One option I am considering is to file Bivens acting as my own attorney next time I get selected for this nonsense. Federal Courts have a ready to fill out form for this purpose. It would be very difficult for TSA to justify this idiocy before a Federal judge. As we know very well, screeners with brains (Bart certainly comes to mind) do not think SSSS adds any value to security.

Originally Posted by fschmidt

As a recent Baltimore selectee (pulled out of line after passing through the metal detector), the TSA “Officer” said that “I had been randomly selected”. I received the full wanding and the equivalent of a police frisk. The TSA Officer did not use the back of his hand but actually patted me down – seemed to be checking to see if I had anything concealed under my clothes. The only item I had on me was my wallet – I had to remove the money – so that the wallet could be sent through the x-ray.

I was polite but insistent that my luggage and laptop be kept in my sight at all times. That seemed to make the process “more intense”. But I managed to engage two officers for at least 10 minutes and a supervisor for 5 minutes.

On my gosh, think maybe a terrorist or two slipped through while I was getting my secondary.

All this after waiting 15 minutes in line, just to enter the TSA paradise.

BTW, we could grind the system to a halt if everyone refused to take off their shoes and forced a secondary – but that would require civil disobedience from the sheep.

Originally Posted by Bart

You have the right to refuse screening at any time. However, if you are not properly screened, you will not be allowed past the security checkpoint.

Make a stand if you must. It's pretty easy to make patriotic statements. It takes more to take action in the name of patriotism.