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"SSSS" - Secondary Security Screening Selection

"SSSS" - Secondary Security Screening Selection

Old Jun 4, 2014, 6:26 am
  #136  
 
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
You are flying a US carrier from Brazil to the US? The TSA claims authority too for such flights originating outside of the US.
Yes, on both legs. Not a single security question at check-in, and obviously no special treatment at the check-point. Let's see if there is somebody waiting with lubricated latex gloves at the gate...
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Old Jun 4, 2014, 6:06 pm
  #137  
 
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And indeed there was. Well, not lubricated, but I was paged at the gate and invited behind what looked like those screens they put around people in hospitals when they are dying.
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Old Jun 6, 2014, 8:51 am
  #138  
 
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Just had the same thing happen on my way home from Australia. Got pre-check on the US outbound, used SmartGate to get in to Australia.

No problems with Australian exit controls or security, but when I got to the gate, I was pulled aside (with about 5% of the other people on the flight, by my estimate) and I got an explosives swab and a very cursory patdown. Sure enough, I had an SSSS on the bottom corner of my BP that I hadn't noticed before I was pulled aside. I assume it was a random occurrence.

I was on an Australian carrier.

ETA: Looks like this thread also discusses the issue:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/check...ry-member.html

Last edited by janetdoe; Jun 6, 2014 at 8:58 am
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Old Jun 6, 2014, 10:49 am
  #139  
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Originally Posted by janetdoe
Just had the same thing happen on my way home from Australia. Got pre-check on the US outbound, used SmartGate to get in to Australia.

No problems with Australian exit controls or security, but when I got to the gate, I was pulled aside (with about 5% of the other people on the flight, by my estimate) and I got an explosives swab and a very cursory patdown. Sure enough, I had an SSSS on the bottom corner of my BP that I hadn't noticed before I was pulled aside. I assume it was a random occurrence.

I was on an Australian carrier.

ETA: Looks like this thread also discusses the issue:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/check...ry-member.html
Which airline and airline flight number was on the boarding pass with the SSSS?
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Old Jun 6, 2014, 10:59 am
  #140  
 
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Originally Posted by guwonder
which airline and airline flight number was on the boarding pass with the ssss?
ygpm.

ygem.
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Old Jun 6, 2014, 1:35 pm
  #141  
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Originally Posted by janetdoe
ygpm.

ygem.
Thanks. I have some suspicions about something.
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Old Oct 8, 2014, 2:31 pm
  #142  
 
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Originally Posted by gene2632
I caught that one coming out of YYZ last week. It only added a very few minutes to my trip through security. Not a big deal and no reason given but then again the agent at the counter barely spoke English....
My wife got one yesterday at YYZ (inbound to DTW) and they put us in separate lines at security. She got through security before I did.
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Old Oct 23, 2014, 2:28 pm
  #143  
 
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Procedure at Security Checkpoint with SSSS

When a passenger receives SSSS on a boarding pass, what is the procedure in the US? Can the passenger still opt-out of body scanners? If so, if the passenger was going to opt-out anyway, is the pat-down any worse than it would have been if the passenger was going to opt-out anyway?
My understanding was that one can always opt-out, but I wanted to verify this information.
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Old Oct 25, 2014, 11:55 pm
  #144  
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Yes, you always have the right to opt out.
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Old Oct 27, 2014, 1:00 pm
  #145  
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Originally Posted by guflyer
When a passenger receives SSSS on a boarding pass, what is the procedure in the US? Can the passenger still opt-out of body scanners? If so, if the passenger was going to opt-out anyway, is the pat-down any worse than it would have been if the passenger was going to opt-out anyway?
My understanding was that one can always opt-out, but I wanted to verify this information.
When it comes to TSA rub-downs which I've witnessed, the haraSSSSment rub-downs for adults and the strip-search machine opt-out rub-downs were mostly the same.

If a haraSSSSment target wants to throw the TSA into a flurry of confusion over its own procedures and policies being in conflict in practice -- which further exposes the TSA HQ's clownish foolishness -- then the haraSSSSment target should travel alone with an infant or toddler and do so without a stroller at the screening checkpoint.

Last edited by TWA884; Jul 26, 2019 at 9:39 am
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Old Oct 27, 2014, 9:33 pm
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Originally Posted by cbn42
Yes, you always have the right to opt out.
According to the http://jetsettingterrorist.com/ he says he is not allowed to opt out with SSSS. I'll see if I can find the exact post.

Ah, here it is, a great summary for the OP:
http://jetsettingterrorist.com/about...led-terrorist/

Last edited by janetdoe; Oct 27, 2014 at 9:39 pm
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Old Oct 28, 2014, 12:10 am
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Yes I' m a British born Muslim woman (never really worn a hijab thou) who was really harassed a few years back whilst heading off to Usa on holiday to EWR although on this occasion as I was working for the last few months in Brussels, Belgium I decided to fly out & back from there instead of from the UK - I'm always late for everything and on this occasion by exception I was determined to be early and take a relaxed trip thru the airport picking up some Leonidas chocolates too fron their airside branch mmmm! This all took place in 2006 well before any British Muslims being involved in any incidents at all. The staff at Brussels were not even Belgian or EU born that were screening me. I felt like I should be checking their immigration status at least!

I actually work in IT and do a few government contracts occasionally so hold a good clean record all round myself so was really shocked to find myself totally 'randomly selected' to which I was like yeh right well of course it is! But that was truly minor & all my luggage & I got screened and turned over completely - The worse part being that I wasn't allowed to rejoin passengers but escorted all the way to the gate & prevented from stopping to pick up chocolates even! My crime must have been truly extreme as on this occasion the 2 guys took me off to somewhere without any other passengers or staff around - then embarrassed me more going thru my neatly packed underwired smalls. A barrage of questions as to why I was in Brussels etc. - I had a flat there so told them I am English but I live there so that got them more confused as my French isn't great so they wondered why. I explained I am working there long term in an English speaking role hence the holiday - eventually one of the guys apologised lots & decided it was time to get me on board. Putting me all the way to the gate in person & refusing to allow me to stop to pick chocolates even - most set over this . But then I was not taken from the public route but the crew one instead which left me most bewildered of all. The other passengers stated at me some wondering of my crime as I did too before I resumed into my normal holiday flight.

Nowadays I'm back to being late for everything ... i have flown to Usa since & been checked a few more times but never like in Brussels again although I did complain that they were harassing me every time & it was getting too much before it seemed to stop some. I switched my preferred airline from United thou.. to British Airways!
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Old Oct 28, 2014, 2:28 am
  #148  
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Originally Posted by janetdoe
According to the Jetsetting Terrorist: TSA diaries of a convicted terrorist | Stories from TSA checkpoints, from a real convicted terrorist he says he is not allowed to opt out with SSSS. I'll see if I can find the exact post.

Ah, here it is, a great summary for the OP:
Who am I? | Jetsetting Terrorist: TSA diaries of a convicted terrorist
For several years -- including the current one -- I have seen adults who received haraSSSSment boarding passes be cleared without being subjected to the strip-search machine at checkpoints where the machines were in use at the time.

Last edited by TWA884; Jul 26, 2019 at 9:39 am
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Old Nov 3, 2014, 8:48 pm
  #149  
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I have been told I could not opt out before in similar situations. Fortunately, SSSS is so infrequent for me anymore that it hasn't been an issue in a while. But screeners at three airports have told me I would go through the nude-o-scope or I wouldn't be flying that day.

Note that this is NOT supposed to be the way it works. But if you get a screener who takes that attitude, chances are you're stuck with it. Supes all-too-often back the screener regardless of whether or not they're correct, and getting a LEO involved is rarely going to work out well (and here, LEO will probably say he/she has no say over the way screening is conducted and may threaten to arrest you).
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Old Nov 5, 2014, 11:56 am
  #150  
 
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Originally Posted by exerda
I have been told I could not opt out before in similar situations. Fortunately, SSSS is so infrequent for me anymore that it hasn't been an issue in a while. But screeners at three airports have told me I would go through the nude-o-scope or I wouldn't be flying that day.

Note that this is NOT supposed to be the way it works. But if you get a screener who takes that attitude, chances are you're stuck with it. Supes all-too-often back the screener regardless of whether or not they're correct, and getting a LEO involved is rarely going to work out well (and here, LEO will probably say he/she has no say over the way screening is conducted and may threaten to arrest you).
This is when TSA Shoulder Syndrome comes in handy. How can they force you through the nude-o-scope if you "can't" raise your arms up that high?
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