AVSEC Boarding Pass
 

I've just checked-in online with Alaska for the following ITIN:

YVR - PDX - LAX

The system allowed me to print a regular online boarding pass. However the boarding pass states NOT VALID FOR SECURITY and as the following text:

Your reservation requires agent assistance
Please present this document to a customer service agent

ATTN AGT: AVSEC

Any ideas what this could be about?

If you have a PDF editor, you could just take that off. :D

I'd expect some harassment at the airport tomorrow though. :td:

"AVSEC" seems to be a pretty common abbreviation for 'aviation security' - you may have to confirm your passport number at a ticket counter or kiosk in order to print a proper boarding pass.

If that is the case, the system should not permit the passenger to OLCI and print any BP information. Otherwise, as has already been pointed out, someone can use the dreaded print to PDF routine of modifying the BP prior to printing to physical paper. Either apply security principles and deal with the fallout from FF that get pissed off about having to check in with a TA, or admit that it is a sham and stop issuing "not valid for security" OLCI documents.

That argument is just brain dead.

It has always been easy to print up a boarding pass that will clear security. You do not need an airline to help you. make it easy for you, just take a previous BP and edit the date/time.

The only significance in the paper pass is the bar code, and TSA does not check that. How friggen obvious can this be?

Calling it "security principals" is bogus.

Security is security, this crap is theater.

EDIT: The "legit" reason for the BP check has always been just to reduce the volume of pax to worry about, it was never a security issue. And now they have a more effective measure, gate groping.

Hey, look at the tone of my other posts here...I am certainly not worried about a BP check at the TDC...I think that is pure theater from the outset and a blatant move of a revenue function to the government arm.

I am merely stating that if the airline in question is requiring a damn passenger to get a "real" BP from a TA, then deal with the damn system at the IT level, prevent the issuance of the OLCI BP and deal with the pain from customer complaints. Using a BS code on a BS OLCI BP is a waste of time and energy.

I have to agree with DevilDog438. When I checked in the agent made a fuss that I didn't print off my boarding pass. Why would I do that! Just a waste of paper and toner!