New twist on extra gate security for CDG US-bound flight: Pre-selected, not random
 

Couldn't find another thread for this scenario, so mods please merge if it exists. Was flying home yesterday from CDG with the Mrs., and just as we got to the gatehouse I heard my name paged. Found a Red Coat (Delta) as I moved forward, and he apologetically asked me to stand by for extra security. Waiting nearby was a rep from ICTS (the contractor that handles security checkpoints at CDG).

She launched into a serious of stern-faced questions about our visit to France (length, purpose, where we stayed, if anyone else touched our bags, etc.). It was actually way more intense than the border guards, who didn't ask me literally anything upon entry or exit. At this point I couldn't tell why I was being questioned, and was about to ask, but she was done quickly and then directed my wife and I to stand behind the boarding podium.

Gate agents "pre-boarded" us onto the flight, then directed us to the traditional security-theater table in the interstitial room before the jetbridge. The two guards were friendly and, as expected, removed all my carry-on contents and swabbed them. Much to my pleasant surprise, she let me keep my bottle of Evian, and simply made me take a sip. She also made me take my bottle of duty-free champagne out of the box, but I was also allowed to keep that.

As they were finishing up, I had my "ah-ha" moment when I saw a printout with five names including mine. Interestingly, my wife's was not on there and she was not subject to any extra screening, but was allowed to stay near me the whole time.

Ultimately, we got to be among the first board, just after the air marshals and wheelchair pax. So, the extra time to get settled and avoid the boarding scrum was welcome. (If I had to be selected, I prefer this scenario since it was less stressful than the random pull-aside during boarding.) But I'm very curious about the selection process for this list, if it's just a France thing, etc. I didn't have SSSS on my BP, so maybe the element of surprise is part of it? FWIW, I had Pre-Check on my outbound flights, and I have it again today on a different domestic trip. So I'm confident I haven't been "flagged" for any ongoing scrutiny. But definitely curious if it's completely random or triggered by some external data points.

Any other experiences ex-CDG or elsewhere with being on a list for extra screening at the gate?

Was this a connecting flight? Or did you skip the regular check-in desk? I am wondering if perhaps you were on a list of people that ICTS did not screen at check-in.

Good question... This was a simple r/t, so we originated at CDG. With only carry-ons, I checked in via app and printed BPs at the kiosk, bypassing the counter entirely. Of course we still had to pass through all the usual security.

The last time, about six months ago, I departed CDG (without a connection into CDG that day), I had to answer security questions before being able to check my bag. In this case, I had already printed my boarding pass. The entrances to lines for passport control and security were located behind the D1 check in area I used.

In September, I was travelling on AA from CDG to MIA with carry on luggage only, so I did not go to the counter. An ICTS agent blocked my way to the security checkpoint and passport control right after I printed my boarding pass at the kiosk and proceeded to question interrogate me.

If you did not go through ICTS at all earlier, this may be a reason that your name was on the list at the gate. Although I think that it is strange that they had you board early instead of just asked questions at the gatehouse.

About 16 months ago my fiance and I were flying RAK-MAD-ORD on the same record locator. He got paged and then pulled aside at the gate in MAD for extra screening while I didn't. It happens.

Had the same out of ZRH ...

Did they then place a sticker on your passport? (after you were asked all the questions and screened)

Everyone gets asked those questions on US bound flights from Europe, and many other places around the world. After passing they place a color sticker on your passport. If you weren't asked these while in line to check in for the flight and cleared then, your name would appear on the list for it to be done at the gate before you are allowed to enter the final waiting area for boarding.

Very interesting. No, there was no sticker placed in my passport. And again, my wife was not selected even though she had bypassed the same questioning at check-in.

It's great when only one person in your party is selected. That's when your bags suddenly become your partners and you don't have any bags ��

No, as the list ICTS uses there in this way is for people they want to subject to additional screening and that it has had pre-selected before the passenger even shows up to talk to them. The list uses a combination of manual selection of passengers and automated or relayed selection of passengers.

Ending up like the OP did is more commonly a product of anything but a completely random hit, no less so when the ICTS software is involved. Once selected in this way by ICTS, the probability of getting selected again in the future is higher than for the average passenger on the same flight with no such ICTS-flagging history.

The ICTS stickers are mainly there to show that a person has been personally questioned and cleared by an ICTS employee.

There are separate lists to note all who has already been questioned, but that was separate from the list that got the OP the gate secondary.

Flying NK(Spirit) out of SJO Costa Rica, I wasn't on the list but I saw a table setup in the gatehouse, and they had a list of Pax to check.

I've also seen TAP out of LIS with a special list also( I thought I was on this list as I saw the agent check me off the list, but it was for my special meal.) and those on the list during pre-boarding "passport/security check" get their bags poked in and patted down.

An indication of there being different lists for different purposes.

I had this happen last fall flying CDG-CLT. Had "SSSS" on my boarding pass, and when I got to the gate, I saw a list of about 5 names that had to go through the full search you describe.