My last Asia trip that terminated in Shanghai so it included departure for US from Shanghai, also had additional security checks that were not present on similar previous trips and not on other (non US) outbound flights.

This trip was Feb 2010 and besides all the usual security steps we are used to doing they had 3 additional steps at time of boarding. They apologized for this and blamed the requirements on US authorities.

The steps were as follows, at time of boarding, after having passport and boarding pass checked as usual before entering the walkway to the plane, you walked further down the ramps and then around a corner, they had another person checking the same thing (1st new step).

They checked all the paperwork again and fed you to 3 identical tables (2nd new step) so you could open all your carry bags for inspection and they did just that. Everyone was screened this way, not just a periodic random TSA gate security type step. The security person would dig through your entire carry luggage, every pocket and zippered section then looked over the passport boarding pass again before indicating you were good to go.

Then we walked the rest of the way down the ramp and out the jet-way to the plane and at the door was another security check (3rd new step) of the passport and boarding pass. This was not the flight attendant who helps you when you get on board; these were security people, same as the others. Afterwards the Flight attendant asked to see then as usual 3 feet further along as you boarded and pointed to your seat.

So what was up and do they still do this? I have no problem with added security but this was over the top, redundant and harassment. The flight was an AA route to ORD or LAX. Don�t think it was a VIP since I was in business and had visibility into first and so unusual activity.

Got Back March 12 from Shanghai.I flew United.
Show passport at the ticket counter, then show it one more time boarding the plane.Occasionally people are randomly screened additionally time, but its not been my experience. Back in 2005 they used require you to have your temperature taken when they had the flu epidemic ,but not now.

Your last experience in Feb 2010 does seem a bit over-the-top strange. Perhaps there was some special tip-off on that day or for that flight, or maybe they were just doing some sort of super-drill. I suspect there might have been some sort of US official lurking somewhere around to do a "spot inspection" of procedures, and you just got unlucky with your timing.

Usually in addition to the standard document check and security screening that all passengers go through at Chinese airports, there will be an additional manual secondary check of all carry-on bags and often of the passenger (hand wands, pats), somewhere near the gate. This occurs for:
1) Flights on US airlines regardless of next destination (i.e. NRT); and
2) Flights bound for the USA on any airline.

Not only at Shanghai, but this is fairly standard for other Chinese and other Asian airports, for outbound USA flights and/or on US airlines.

I forgot but yes there was the wand treatment too. So this is standard now you are saying on all US carrier outbound flights regardless of destination. If I usually am on JAL to NRT before heading to the US a few days later of off to other Asian location before trip concludes and returning to the US so I may not have seen it.

Yes, pretty much so at least from what I've seen out of Asia--mandated by US authorities. Note that the wanders will be available for secondary but usually only selected passengers get the wand or wand + pat treatment. I got it last year at BKK just before the gate at the LAX-bound TG nonstop--unfortunately had the dread SSSS on my boarding pass (random bad luck). But everybody got their carry-ons manually re-searched. Fairly similar procedures on USA-bound nonstops out of PEK as well.

If you travel on JAL from PVG-NRT, that wouldn't get a secondary near the gate as it is not a US carrier and not a flight directly to the USA.

My 6 year old got it 3 times in row a few years back. TSA punks had fun messing with him too while mommy and daddy stood off to the side.

Yep, I've also had the secondary flying to the US from SYD, HKG, and AMM.

The secondary screening also applies for flying to Australia, at least from HKG. Unfortunately my memory is failing so I can't recall whether my last flight to Australia from PVG had a secondary or not.

Typically secondary screening will confiscate any overlimit liquids that you may be carrying, i.e., duty free that you just purchased.

Another +1 that you can blame this on the US rules/government. All other locations I've flown to from China internationally do not require additional checks. This is not a China thing.

That being said, not all pax going to the US are forced to go through additional checks last time I flew back to the US (Dec 2010), just some of the pax.

Agree not really a China Issue but perhaps they implemented this special US requirement in a rigorous manner to perhaps get passengers to complain to the US Govt and stop the process. I�m sure the Chinese have costs that are not recovered. Are all departures internationally headed to the US doing this, Europe, Latin America, and Middle East? If not, why single out China, I�ve found very good security there compared to some other international locations. I don�t recall it happening in NRT or Australia on outbound to US. Last time I flew from HKG to US, no secondary that I can recall. I missed out on testing the AA maiden PEK to ORD since the landing rights were stalled by China.

We've been asked for passport/boarding pass at the entrance of the jetway a couple of times over the years.

No, I already told you upthread that your Feb 2010 experience was beyond the normal secondary procedure. And I ascribe that to their being some sort of special circumstance that particular day. Normal procedure in China for US-bound flights is what I already told you, a relatively simple secondary bag search near the gate and wand/pat of selected passengers.

I've experienced similar secondary on nonstop flights to USA at NRT, ICN, BKK, HKG--and I'm sure it happens at the other airports I haven't personally been through. I've seen it on UA flight SIN-HKG because it was a US carrier. And NW/Delta has done secondaries on their own PEK-NRT segment for years...though often it's been done at manual stations just before check-in desks. I'm baffled why you think this a China issue.

As for your notion that intentional ultra-rigorous implementation of security by the Chinese would lead to massive passenger complaints that would then stop the US govt's policy or regulations--will you please re-read what you wrote again and think? This is China--why would it even occur to the Chinese officials that complaints from the peanut gallery would be able to change US government security regulations? The Chinese don't believe the inmates should be running the asylum anywhere, so to speak.

I've had secondaries at SYD on every single flight to the US since 2005. A few years ago they even had a pre-check-in baggage check for US flights. Actually they might still do but I don't check bags anymore

Your right they believe this in China but I guarantee they know very well how things work in the US; perhaps even better than many members of the US peanut gallery. They know the economics of currency valuations, US Treasury debt, trade imbalances, foreign currency holdings, tax duty regulation, etc. Better than 90% of our elected officials based on their related decisions and comments over the years. I believe they know exactly how it works which is why the Middle East issue is causing additional clamp downs in China.

Feb 2010: we were outbound to SF from Auckland and the TSA NZ were searching almost everyone's carryons. Not a cursory glance, but reaching in and feeling objects and bag crevices. And questions. -- Our impression was that something was up but we never confirmed this.

+1, selected pax as I said as well.