What's the Trigger for a Bag Search?
 

I am running at 100% searched bags on my checked luggage. I can't imagine they're searching 100% of checked luggage. I have used different bags over the summer, all soft duffle type bags. Normally I don't check luggage but often friends ask for Krispy Kreme and in order to take them on board I check my bag (I fly with my small duffle & computer).

The only thing I can think that is partially suspicious is sometimes I carry a curling iron, but that is inconsistant. My bags are pretty grungy from bouncing around a farm truck, maybe they don't like dirty bags?

Do they have lists of PAX they don't *like*? Is it because I am often flying standby? Although... I am not sure the searches were all standby flights. I am wondering what their trigger is for searching. Can't believe I've been randomly this lucky, perhaps I should be buying some of those lotto tickets y'all in the Lower 48 have! I was just curious about this, any input?

Thanks!
Alison
Chugiak, AK

Depends
 

We are supposed to have 100% of baggage being cleared. If you are getting your bags searched for 100 percent of the times that you fly then the electronic detection equipment is finding something in it that it doesnt like or you are flying out of low volume airports that have the ability to manually check all bags.

100% bag checks.

That means EVERYONES bag gets searched electronically or physically.

For what reasons... we cannot say.

Have a nice day!

Steve :cool:

When I check luggage I'm headed home out of SEA. I am saying every time my bag has been hand searched. I get home to find that little notice that says so inside my luggage.

I wonder if SEA is considered to be low volume? I am just a hick from Alaska ;) our entire state's population isn't even 700K so I am probably not qualified to determine volume.

If it isn't volume then there is something that is triggering a secondary search on my bags. They are different bags so I know it isn't a specific bag, since I carry the bags on board on the way down it passes muster with the passenger screeners.

Hmmmm,
Alison
Chugiak, AK

Many different factors trigger a full search of the bag.

It isnt anything personal against you.

^

Are you arriving home with the same quantity of Krispy Kremes you left Seattle with?

HAHAHAHA! Why how did you ever know that? For some darn reason there are usually some missing, go figure? Actually, as I sit here and surf I am entering Krispy Kreme fundraiser orders for my son's school. This trip is going to be a doozy, we're up to 1,200 DOZEN! Not going to fit in the overhead this time, I'll ask cargo if they're going to inspect any of them, bahahaha! Wonder if TSA is going to have to take any to test :p

Alison
Chugiak, AK

Just don't put any in your bra. ;)

If there is *any kind* of electrical wire or device appearing on the X-ray of your checked bag, it will be searched.

It's like this...For those airports that have the CTX machines (x-ray for checked baggage) if there is any part of the bag that the machine and/or the screener is unconfortable with, the bag is subjected to physical search. Whatever is determined uncomfortable is at the discretion of the screener operating the CTX at that time. Some screeners are more "paranoid" than others. For lower volume airports (i.e. Category III and IV airports) all baggage is subject to hand searching, becuase the CTX machine is not present at thoise airports. The baggage is still electronically screened for explosives, but just by hand. At this time, TSA cannot justify placing a 1 mil+ dollar machine at an airport that only screens up to 500 checked bags a day when one or two $50,000 machines can do the job instead.

I was with a bunch of people checking in for a Korean Airlines flight (I believe it was Anchorage to Seoul). Everyone had tons of packages including regular bags. The screeners would frequently have to open a bag or box. One of my friend's bags were hand checked while the other wasn't. The screener volunteered that it was because of sugar. As soon as he found the food product that had sugar, he quit searching. Does that make sense?

My bag almost always gets checked too so they must not like Alaskans. Maybe it hasn't something to do with the woman that put a loaded gun in checked luggage on her way back to Eagle River (Anchorage)?!

<shake> <shake> <shake> <flip>

Signs point to yes

"Open it!"

<shake> <shake> <shake> <flip>

My sources say no

"This one's good!"

Shhhhhhh!!!
 

That's SSI! :D

LOL!
Alison

Yes it is;
Secret Sugar Ingredients

It makes perfect sense if the machines cannot differentiate between sugar and some sort of explosive or other taboo substance (just a hunch). It's bad for the public to know this, though, because a terrrorist will now be sure to put the bomb (or heroin or whatever) at the bottom of the bag and some Froot Loops on top, in the hope that they'd stop searching as soon as they found the cereal. :cool: