Warning: Gate Rape at YYZ
 

For all you US-based UA flyers who sometimes book a transborder flight on AC or UA from YYZ:

I was first-in-line to board a flight at terminal 2 at YYZ today and got gate raped. Was furious at myself for presuming that Canadian security had returned to some semblance of sanity like American security and screened only SSSS passengers. The screener went through all the motions but was not at all thorough.

So, I thought I'd share this with y'all: remember not to be first to board at YYZ.

Any other experiences elsewhere in Canada?

At YVR, May of this year.

Great, just my luck as I am heading there on Thursday!

I am sorry to hear about your experience. However , I think you have been around this board long enough to remember that we had agreed not to use the term "rape" in this context. If you were truly "raped", I hope you filed a police report and had the person arrested

As one who goes through YYZ frequently (it is home base) and primarily to the US they choose people at random - it is not always the first person in line.

Thursday of last week I got selected from the middle of the pack on a flight from SFO-SYD for screening, but I didn't complain or say I am being raped. They are doing their job, I may disagree with it, but they are doing what they are hired to do. If they do it professionally, no complaints - if not, then I complain.

Correct.

And since the original post is only marginally UA related and the responses asked for are not necessarily UA-related at all, I am moving to the Travel Safety/Security forum where this seems better suited.

cblaisd
Moderator, United

Any link to the thread when, where, and why this was established and - especially - what the correct expression for it is these days?

Ah, those Canadians obey their imperial masters in the U.S. so well, don't they? Almost like the Germans.

When will these countries remember that they are supposedly sovereign and don't have to do -- or over-do! -- what the U.S. commands?

Bruce

It doesn't matter here because you can call the TSA and related agencies what ever you want here. Even Forum board members trash the TSA with uncalled for names.

It's called gate screening. That was one of the worst ideas TSA ever had, so I'm really sorry to hear it's spread to Canada.

I remember the day I showed up three hours early to get an "A" boarding pass and be first in line on a cross-country Southwest flight with first-come-first-served seating. Those *&*(&*@(! gate screeners not only pulled me and Mr. GradGirl out of line, they held us until every other passenger had boarded. As it happened, the only two unoccupied seats left were together, in the very last row, but I was prepared to pitch a royal fit if I got separated from hubby for a six hour flight because of that ridiculous gate screening. Gate screening has gone away in the U.S., AFAIK.

Actually TSAMGR it DOES matter here. It was agreed that they use of the word "rape" in the context of a gate screening negated the feelings of woman ( and or men) that had actually been raped and was an insult to all of them ( and no I have not been raped). The discussion took place in late 2001 when someone first used the term "gate rape". At that time the original poster of that thread was actually kind enough to ask the adminstration to change the thread title so I have no clue how I would find it at this point.

This has been going on continually since the process was created in the US. Everytime I fly back to the US from YYZ, no matter the airline or flight, they are there.

Having said that, I have found their security people very easy to defeat. I just position myself in line so they grab another passenger before me...the same process that has saved alot of us when the gate screens were done in the US airports. In a couple of instances, I also pretended like I didn't hear them say "excuse me, sir", and I just blew past them down the jetway...they never said anything and just grabbed the next person who walked by. The whole process is annoying, but fairly easy to avoid.

Technically, the policies call for the names, so they are not "uncalled for."

Thanks GradGirl.
Now this is the official wording for the process, and so it also is what we use here, I assume. Just wondered if there is any moniker for this procedure.
And yes, I share your experience, countless times. Having a passport of the wrong colour, attracts the searchers.

It did not appear to me that this was the allusion of TSAMGR. The pun in the wording is probably the emphasis of the non consentual body contact.

IMHO the word 'screening' is at least as inappropriate as 'rape' as it does not reflect the harassment and humiliation of the questionable procedure. Even though I agree that it is not entirely useless.

This is why I asked if there is a more accurate nickname for it.

Also - YYZ - No INSPASS
 

Also, they happened to kill INSPASS at YYZ a few weeks back for no apparent reason.

REALLY pissed me off when I walked through and saw a giant piece of tape over the machine... :-(

Then of course, I got picked for a random - something about "Canada not agreeing with the US's policy on security," so they still do randoms.

Lucky, lucky us.