I wonder how many of those "randomly" selected will be flying on award tickets given to to them by family members with different last names?

I thought the infirm, ill, and old people boarded first. Do they make good searchees?
I can board with them, but my luggage is being reduced to less and less. Down to one rollon.

Hmm, this might explain why on my last trip to NRT, a little old lady over 70 was being wanded and had luggage hand-searched while I got waved through. It took me a few extra minutes to get to the gate from the lounge and boarding had already began. I guess the first will actually be last.

Last Saturday I was boarding UA 806 HKG-SFO and watched them "randomly" check all the real pre-boarding passengers -- a wheelchair and the people travelling with her. The gate agents held up boarding while this was going on.

When they finally started boarding First Class Business Class and elites, I was maybe sixth in line. My roll-aboard was searched in minute detail. She was opening those little Chinese gift boxes that held small tinkets for my daughters and even the very small cloth pouch that contained some earrings for my wife. It's a good thing I packed my "personal" stuff in my checked bag. And I was wanded like I was never wanded before.

Maybe it was my beard that made them suspicious. It couldn't have been my elite-status early-boarding, right? Right?

RAD

I was telling the folks at the SEA-Doo this weekend that I accomplished the "Security Triple Crown"

Flying in F EWR-DEN-SEA, I first had my bag of dirty clothes pulled aside at security. I was then "lucky" enough to have it down at the gat on the flight to DEN. And, you guessed it, at the gate of DEN-SEA I was pulled aside again. All I could do was laugh.

I've flown a lot of segments in the last month. I've watched the process. A couple of observations.
1) I've not seen the first in line "pick a winner" as mentioned here.
2) I have noticed sometimes the machine beeps and we have a winner - other times it's the person searching who picks.
3) One segment out of STL - two guys started talking/grinning to each other... who did pick? A very pretty woman. Maybe perks of an otherwise low paying job.
The silliest to me was on a DFW-AUS segment. Ben Stien -- as in the TV show Winning Ben Stein's Money -- boarded... and beeped. He was searched. He was in FC -- he was very pleasant... I'm not so sure I would have been so nice. But what can you do?
For some reason I've missed being picked.. I've been in the back and up front. So far so good. Of course this means the next 10 times I will be a "winner". Ha.

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TANSTAAFL - but if you work it right, FF miles comes pretty close.

I observed something like this in Denver the other day. While standing in the boarding line, one of the pre-announced selectees was mildly complaining "I'm getting searched again." Once the agent ascertained that he was connecting and had been searched on his first flight, they decided not to search him. They ultimately decided that all selectees on their list were connecting passengers, and proceeded to randomly pick people from line.

I was "randomly" selected in IND for a search, it looked like they were selecting every third-fourth person after they were done searching and wanding a previous one.

It was really a joke. He opened my carry-on a little bit, stuck his hand in and around my clothes, opened the other pocket and just peered in. Not exactly what I would call "thorough". I had my shoes wrapped in plastic and he didn't even open the bags.

<shrug> I say, if you're going to take the time to pull someone out of line to do a search, make it count.

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"What do you mean you didn't get miles for that?!"

I've been picked twice in the last several weeks (out of 4 segments). WN/DAL, I was 1st in line in 3rd boarding group. AA/DFW, I was about #8 in "group 1".

Both times, I had no carry on. Maybe that made me easier to search.

I've taken UA 73 (the former UA 93) EWR-SFO a couple of times since it was hijacked. The last time was this past Friday. Security was average, and the EWR gate screening selection amounted to the GA reading names off a list. From what I could see, the half-dozen or so selectees fit a visual profile, with perhaps one average/random pax thrown in for good measure. I was first in line to board, and was not bothered or questioned at all.

At Kansai yesterday, everyone was wanded at the boarding area entrance, and most had their luggage completely disassembled. I had a bunch of metal in my pocket, and told the wand lady to wait while I unloaded my pockets into the outer zippered pouches on my luggage. Still, her wand buzzed almost continuously when she went over me, but no matter, she waved me through. When I started to haul my bags onto the table she said 'no problem, you bags OK.' Good enough for me.

As a FF it is very hard not to become cynical when you experience repeatedly the charade we now call security...long lines and being screamed at to remove my PC from bag (I don't even carry a PC...please don't scream at me...it simply reminds be how technically behind I am)really don't make me more secure at 35,000.

A few recent observations/experiences...

My feeling why they pick the first or sometimes second FC passenger is not to really search their stuff because they fit a profile(maybe terrorists like their overhead space, too?) but to give the "awareness of security" (how many times have we heard that meaningless phrase lately) to all the other passengers boarding. To have a rent-a-frisker standing there doing nothing would not accomplish the "appearance of security" meant to pacify the other nervious-nelly fliers in the back of the bus.

I guess that is why last night they had the National Guard guy at the entrance to the S-Terminal Scrutiny Zone in SEA barking orders at people to "REMOVE JACKETS, TAKE OUT WALLETS, SMILE, DROP AND GIVE ME 50" like we were grunts at boot camp. Better than just having them stand around looking like bored statues or flirting with the female scrutiny staff.

Also, the elderly matron screening documents for entrance to the boot camp/scrutiny experience actually asked the young, J-Crew couple in front of me to spell their last names while she stared at their boarding passes...J...O...N...E...S...you could actually watch the wheels spinning as she matched the letters they were saying to what was printed on the BP...guess that is why command of the English language is now a requirement for the job.

And if one more person thanks me over the PA in advance for my patience and cooperation during these times of "heightened awareness of security"...

CALGON, TAKE ME AWAY (but I'll probably need a photo ID and strip search prior to entering the tub)!

I posted a similar "complaint" a few weeks ago after experiencing such an annoyance at ORD while boarding for my front cabin seat. I won't go into the retrograde arguments in favour of this procedure that many posted then. The sooner someone provides us with some form of fast-tracking ID for FFers, the less stressful and frustrating flying will become again, and many of us can start to re-enjoy our travels. Yes, I have heard all the arguments about vigilence, etc. But this is just plain foolishness.

Wanted to add my "me too" to not being the first to board...

As a UA 1K that uses a rollaboard, I like being onboard first.

A few weeks ago, leaving on a RJ (!) from ORD to Cedar Rapids, I was "selected" for the complete screening. Now, if I see that the rent a screener (soon to be a Federal employee) is busy with someone else, I am still first in line. If he is looking for someone (!!), I wait until he finds another victim, then board.

The government is trying to give the appearance of security. All of those National Guardsmen with guns actually scare me more than if they weren't there.

And screening isn't going to get any better when the screeners are Federal workers. They will miss items too. It was all politics.

I've noticed this as well, but I suspect it has little to do with selecting elites because they won't gripe, etc. and more to do with preventing delays. If you select the last passengers to board, that could potentially hold up the flight. Selecting the first people in line assures that they should be finished with the search in time for the flight to leave at its scheduled time.

Dont worry about them....no live ammo!