Gate Screening and Frequent Flyers
 

I have just returned from a 40,000 mile, three continent marathon with numerous flight segments both domestic and international. Here in the US FAA regulations now require continuous screening at the gates, as I found out. The fact the boarding pass says CLR is irrelevant if they are looking for selectees.

At the start of every US flight boarding, the agent explained the entire continuous screening process to the passengers in detail. On several flights, seat numbers were called but the selected passengers took their time showing up. So who gets elected to fill the gap? First class and frequent flyers! They are always first in line.

As a result, I saw elites and premium passengers hovering back with other FF's (usually about eight to ten) until someone got snagged for the screening, then rushing forward to get on board before another passenger was selected. This happened at every single US airport. I boarded as soon as I could, and only got selected for the screening once.

Is anyone else seeing this or is it my imagination?

[This message has been edited by FoothillFlyer (edited 11-20-2001).]

I heve seen the exact same thing in ATL on my post 9-11 flights. I got selected once, as I was boarding with Meadallions on a full flight. Needless to say, by the time they finished the search, the plane was just about full and I got no overhead space. I now try to board a bit later...(not thatI have anything to hide)

On American, they call it "random" but the security guy hovers behind a screen and "randomly selects" the first 2 people getting on the plane. This happened to me once and I learned my lesson. Others were chosen after, this selection appears to be random as they pass the boarding pass through the machine and it gets rejected.

Total bs you ask me. The frequent fliers are more than likely the last people who should be subjected to extra searches. Have any hijackers ever been Executive Plat or 1K? I highly doubt it.

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That's what I'm talking about.

I was sitting behind 2 red coats..or maroon coats..whatever Delta calls them now.. in ATL. One told the other to "randomly" pick Medallion Flyers because "they wont object as much"

FYI, employees get "selected" as well. I get unrestricted access to the aircraft and they *still* want to screen me when I travel.

I watched them pull two people in ATL today. First class, elite. go figure.

Yep.
Same thing happened to me last week in NRT.
I was first in line to board, and guess what, the first three of us were "randomly" selected for a manual search of our carry-ons as we were boarding in the jetway.

So guess what I did the following time? I just left the poor souls in a hurry to board get caught first, and I walked onto the plane a good number 20 without being searched.

I've seen them grab the first to board, and let the first few on before doing the random in YYZ, ORD, NRT, and LAS.

[This message has been edited by skofarrell (edited 11-20-2001).]

Ok, I guess I am not imagining this. The conversation among the elites who are hiding was towards an attitude of resentment, especially regarding the bin space! When this becomes a learned behavior as I guess it will, then only non-veteran travelers will be snared. The Europeans seemed to trust in their initial screening points, and in some cases, secondary screening points which cleared travelers into the gate area where they could use their boarding priority unmolested.

It's all about bin space. One bright side, though, AA is letting those that are "randomly" screened cut into the front of the boarding line.

Am I glad that I stumbled upon this thread http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif as I fly to Brasil again next month. I won't be soooooo anxious to board now when they call Elite/*Gold boarding.......let's see what happens.

I was selected also on my recent AS flight from SNA to SEA. After I was searched, I just boarded with everyone else as I was sitting in Y. In SEA, they held up boarding so that the searchees get to board first. They even went as far as to go onboard and grab the people who didn't show up for the search. I was also told that if you are selected on your first segment, then you will be selected on all of your segments.

Wow, this is news. I've been on about 20 segments (AA, UA, N7, US) since 9/11 and have gone through many airports (SFO, JFK, BOS, HPN, BUF, SYR, LAS, ORD) and I have not once seen this process or been the victim of it. I ofetn fly up front and I'm ofetn the first to board.

Has this just started in the last few weeks? I just got back from my last flight about two weeks ago.

But you never know when something will be "planted" on you. Let me ask you this: When you checked in, and the agent asked you, "have the bags been with you since you packed them?" how did you answer? Is it posible that when you left your bags with the hotel valet? Is it posible that they were in the trunk of your car? Have you ever placed something in your bag that was wrapped as a gift by someone else?

You never know, and frequent flyers should not be exempt from any of this.



[This message has been edited by zrs70 (edited 11-20-2001).]

For a while I thought I was being singled out because of my red hair (Only red heads would understand!) Every single time since 9/11 I've had a hand search and wand, along with shoes going through the x-ray machine. I complained about being "profiled" to my wife when she reminded me about the magnetic insoles that I received for Christmas last year.