For me, modifying something within 48 hours, or flying to DCA is basically an automatic SSSS; but I might be a special case (see below). I sure as h*ll hope that CO isn't doing this of its own volition; but rather upon orders.


Not at least as of a couple of years ago. That's how I found out I was on the TSA Watch List.

I kept getting "SSSS'ed" and was getting aggravated about it. One time, yet again, I could not use the machine and was checking in with an agent, and she said "You probably know this; but you're one of the lucky ones." I said, "No, I don't know what you mean." And she told me I was on the watch list, and explained how she had to enter my data twice. It was like that for a few months. Always a human to check in, always they had to enter my data on more screens, almost always SSSS.

It has gotten easier now that they have enabled OLCI for people like me (but sometimes I still get denied and have to go to a human or a kiosk). I also don't usually get "SSSS" anymore. Still do occassionally.

I can't figure it out. It seems random. Perhaps that's by design. Maybe I have been taken off the list, or maybe it is just (generally) becoming more subtle.

Several times in the past year or so I've booked one-way flights out and back to a destination, usually to take advantage of either weird intineraries I needed to maintain or because it was blatantly cheaper to do so. Every time, I've been flagged SSSS on the flight out, (from EWR or JFK,) but never on the way back. Is it possible the TSA realizes that, since I made the first flight without incident, I'm not likely to be a threat on the way back? Or, is this just a coincidence?

Incidentally, the "full-service" security line at EWR is typically much much shorter than the regular line, and the TSA staff there are quite friendly.

The TSA doesn't realize anything (whoa, that was an understatement), as the selection process is executed solely by the airlines - unless forced on them by a customer's presence on a watch or prohibited list.

Wonderful sense of humor :D ^

Agree with the staff being friendly and professional and the shorter lines at the "full-service" line :D

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I had the SSSS flying out of ORD last week. Walked through the metal dectector grabed my shoes and bag from xray and was on my way. No "full-service" -- no checking under the hood, no cleaning of the windows-- at all.

Purchasing DL Shuttle one-way tickets used to guarantee an SSSS. Now it seems to happen only 75% of the time.

This may have been discussed in other SSSS threads, but I can't remember the answer. What happens if you are rerouted on another carrier that operates from the same concourse/terminal/airside area as your original carrier but the last minute rebooking causes you to be SSSS'd? For example, your flight is cancelled due to a mechanical and the customer service desk signs your ticket over to AA, which has its gates and a service center in the same concourse. You go over to the AA service desk or gate to get boarding passes and they have an SSSS - do they make you exit the concourse and reclear security?

The airlines can also deselect from you from the "harassment". I just recently took an earlier UA flight and my new boarding pass had the SSSS marks. Quite a few key strokes later I did have a new boarding pass without the SSSS marks.

Depends on the agent - and the majority of them will not only play dumb about it, they will either blame transfer back to the TSA or suggest you're Osama's cousin for even suggesting such a thing.

So far agents at DL, HA and US have either flat out refused to remove SSSS, pled ignorance or just outright lied to me. I even had one dumb DL agent keep asking me what it was, then he finally asked me how I even knew what it meant and suggested I shouldn't know such things. I wanted to throw a vial of holy water on that one :rolleyes:

I am not Omasa's cousins unfortunately. (I would love to because they are one of the most $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ people around).

On my case the SSSS was printed at the gate on my earlier flight. I was already "screened" by the TSA. (Whatever it is worth)

I have bought several last-munite tickets with CO and rarely gotten the dreaded SSSSSS. However, sometimes I must commit self-torture and fly WN, and when I buy a last-minute with them, it's always SSSSSS.

Luckily, the El Paso Airport security is never more than a 5 minute wait, and I'm through with the whole procedure in no more than 5 minutes flat.

Flying XNA-EWR-MHT I got to EWR and all the MHT flights were cancelled or full, I went outside security to Pax ReAccommodation and asked to get rebooked into BOS, the agent quickly snapped back, "how are you going to get from BOS to MHT??" In his stare all I could see was SSSS, sure enough there it was, of course I didn't have it on my first leg. I must say, however, EWR's SSSS procedures in Concourse A are quite tolerable with the oversized hairdryer you have to walk through, all the frisking is skipped. Although I was expecting to be taken out for breakfast after my last rub-down at MSY.

Intersting, I had something similar recently.

I was returning, SFO-MSP-DTW-PHL. Had an awful DTW layover, like 8 hours (freebie, that's all was available for the three of us). When I checked in SFO I asked to get on an earlier flight. I was easily accomodated on a much better PHL flight. I didn't notice, but all BP's were ok except the last leg, which was SSSS's. When I checked in for the PHL flight the BP was scanned and the reader started chirping away, that's when I noticed the SSSS. The agent said hold on, tappytaptap, ok go ahead.

Sorta silly to SSSS a BP in mid-trip w/in the US.

Not true.

If you get your FF# into the rebooked reservation before it is ticketed, it is unlikely to bear the mark of haraSSSSment.

I file a complaint each and every time I see my boarding pass besmirched with letters of haraSSSSment. It's disgusting, un-American haraSSSSment that no one should ever have to endure. :td: