"You were supposed to be SSSSd... please return to security"??!?!
Jul 29, 2005 | 9:29 pm
#16
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Colorado
Programs: TSA
Posts: 2,745
Originally Posted by psychtobe
Mrs. Psychtobe was flying DL on a NW award ticket. Couldn't check in online so we suspected SSSS, and arrived early.
Despite some chaos at security (obviously inexperienced non-TSA staff directing traffic), she made it through on time and went to her gate. No SSSS.
As she attempts to board when her row is called, the DL agent informs her that she was supposed to have received Special Screening, and they can't let her on the plane until she returns to TSA security and her BP is cleared! To add insult to injury, they tell her she "better hurry!" Mrs. psychtobe hightails it back to security, where they search her bags, body, etc; then rushes back to DL gate in time to board the plane.
Questions:
1. If she was supposed to be SSSS'd and wasn't, what was the point of having her return to Security for the screening? By that point, if she had been a bad guy, whatever contraband she had been carrying would have long been disposed of, so why send her back?
2. Why wasn't a security breach called - if TSA feels SSSS is an important anti-terror mechanism, and someone who was supposed to have received it didn't, shouldn't they have closed the terminal and searched for contraband?
3. Would DL really have taken off without her? What recourse would she have had? Would DL have blamed her for "not leaving adequate time" for security?
4. Has anyone experienced this before?
Despite some chaos at security (obviously inexperienced non-TSA staff directing traffic), she made it through on time and went to her gate. No SSSS.
As she attempts to board when her row is called, the DL agent informs her that she was supposed to have received Special Screening, and they can't let her on the plane until she returns to TSA security and her BP is cleared! To add insult to injury, they tell her she "better hurry!" Mrs. psychtobe hightails it back to security, where they search her bags, body, etc; then rushes back to DL gate in time to board the plane.
Questions:
1. If she was supposed to be SSSS'd and wasn't, what was the point of having her return to Security for the screening? By that point, if she had been a bad guy, whatever contraband she had been carrying would have long been disposed of, so why send her back?
2. Why wasn't a security breach called - if TSA feels SSSS is an important anti-terror mechanism, and someone who was supposed to have received it didn't, shouldn't they have closed the terminal and searched for contraband?
3. Would DL really have taken off without her? What recourse would she have had? Would DL have blamed her for "not leaving adequate time" for security?
4. Has anyone experienced this before?
Last edited by eyecue; Jul 29, 2005 at 9:37 pm
Jul 29, 2005 | 9:33 pm
#17
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Let me check my Logbook
Programs: Southwest Rapid Rewards; AAdvantage; Alaska Mileage Plan; Wyndham Rewards; Choice Hotels
Posts: 2,406
Summer of 2004 at SEA Had BP for a Frontier flight SEA-DEN leaving at 06h30 BP said SSSS but the screeners did not give me secondary at the checkpoint. When it was my turn to board the Gate Agent would not allow me to board and called for the TSA and after a considerable wait I was given the secondary near the gate. The screener asked me if I was military and where all I had been since I cleared the security checkpoint and then I was allowed to board.
Jul 30, 2005 | 5:13 pm
#18
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Augusta, GA, USA
Programs: DL FC, NW
Posts: 3,522
This happened once to me in DTW and the NW agent said, "Well, I guess you wouldn't be here if you cleared security." With that they took my BP and I boarded. First experience with the way the system should be run.
Jul 31, 2005 | 8:39 am
#19
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Nashua, NH USA
Programs: Seashore Trolley Museum "flight attendant"
Posts: 2,015
If you actually have SSSS on your boarding pass and you manage to get through security without the secondary screening, don't jump for joy. You might get sent back from the gate. Instead you should ask for a "signoff" that you got the secondary. You can ask for a secondary itself in subtle ways such as by keeping your shoes or heavy jacket on.
What does a "signoff" for secondary look like? A punched hole of a particular shape? A specific squiggle made by a marker of a specific color?
If the airline doesn't mark your boarding pass for SSSS and you are suddenly sent back, you may hold the airline liable for inconvenience if you don't get on the flight.
Travel tips:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/travel.htm
What does a "signoff" for secondary look like? A punched hole of a particular shape? A specific squiggle made by a marker of a specific color?
If the airline doesn't mark your boarding pass for SSSS and you are suddenly sent back, you may hold the airline liable for inconvenience if you don't get on the flight.
Travel tips:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/travel.htm
Aug 1, 2005 | 10:04 pm
#20
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Louisville, KY, US
Programs: QF Plat - OW EMD | DL Gold / Starwood Gold
Posts: 6,106
Originally Posted by docmonkey
Do she agree that you would receive full IDB compensation if the flight left without you?
Has anyone actually missed a flight when sent back from the gate to SSSS? I'm curious to know what you would be offered.
Has anyone actually missed a flight when sent back from the gate to SSSS? I'm curious to know what you would be offered.
Thankfully I made it, but what a bloody pain. I was on a high fare for that leg of the journey, which would have made an IDB worthwhile
The trip was planned with little notice and the cheapest way to do it was between two carriers to get a price break at ORD. This UA segment was the most expensive leg of the entire journey. I don't know if that played a role or not in the flight being held.
SDF_Traveler
Aug 4, 2005 | 7:08 am
#21
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: GVA
Programs: BA Gold; AF/KL FB Gold; LX FTL; PC Plat/Amb; SPG Gold; HH Gold; Club Carlson Silver
Posts: 235
Arab visas
A [relatively] sharp-eyed US immigration official in SJU a couple of years ago noticed that I had visas/stamps for some Arab countries (Egypt, UAE and Morocco mainly) in my passport. I was taken off into a windowless room and interrogated about why I went to those places, but was allowed to go once I'd satisfied the official that it is actually possible to visit many Arab countries on vacation and that there are lots of nice people and interesting things to see and do there 
Anyway, ever since then I've been getting SSSS almost every time I take domestic flights in the US. It may be just a coincidence, but it doesn't seem like it. For some reason it never happens when I'm boarding international flights from the US.
On the whole, I don't really mind the extra inspection. In fact, sometimes it seems like a privilege. I connected through BWI recently and was delighted to be pulled out of the main line (which was 100s of yds long - the longest I've ever seen anywhere except in a couple of developing countries). Although the process took longer I'm pretty sure I made it past security quicker than if I'd stayed in the main line. And having to stand in some sort of orgasmatron and have puffs of air squirted at me was almost amusing.
Anyway, ever since then I've been getting SSSS almost every time I take domestic flights in the US. It may be just a coincidence, but it doesn't seem like it. For some reason it never happens when I'm boarding international flights from the US.
On the whole, I don't really mind the extra inspection. In fact, sometimes it seems like a privilege. I connected through BWI recently and was delighted to be pulled out of the main line (which was 100s of yds long - the longest I've ever seen anywhere except in a couple of developing countries). Although the process took longer I'm pretty sure I made it past security quicker than if I'd stayed in the main line. And having to stand in some sort of orgasmatron and have puffs of air squirted at me was almost amusing.
Last edited by HugoCH; Aug 4, 2005 at 11:39 am Reason: Correct grammatical error
Aug 4, 2005 | 7:22 am
#22
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Orlando
Programs: DL 4MM/DM, UA 1MM/Gold, AA Paper
Posts: 1,386
Originally Posted by HugoCH
I was taken off into a windowless room and interrogated about why I went to those places, but was allowed to go once I'd satisfied the official that it is actually possible to visit many Arab countries on vacation and that there are lots of nice people and interesting things to see and do there.
Aug 5, 2005 | 11:47 pm
#23
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Marietta, GA
Programs: Delta MM
Posts: 609
Not so many years ago, someone decided that "equal treatment" means that everyone must be treated exactly the same regardless of circumstances and common sense. Ever since then, rules are created that must be followed to the letter whether they make any sense or not. With the Transportation Slowdown Administration, I continue to find that they frequently do not. But the sad thing is there is no point in examining the gaping holes in the logic because nobody listens and nobody cares. I am sure many TSA and airline employees feel the same way - they are just also powerless to do anything about it. So eventually we all find ourselves submitting to the mindless stupidity as a matter of course and many stop even bothering to realize just how pointless the whole system is. *shrug*
Aug 8, 2005 | 2:43 pm
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,337
To see just how screwed up this system is, on my most recent SSSS I purposely tricked the TSA into not screening me, and I boarded the plane and flew without a problem.
How did I trick the TSA? I had two boarding passes (for a connecting flight) and put the one with the SSSS behind the other. The agent never looked close enough and I passed through freely. Not the most intelligent of scams, eh?
And yes I realize that I have just admitted to violating several national security and anti-terrorism laws and could be prosecuted and sent to a maximum security prison.
How did I trick the TSA? I had two boarding passes (for a connecting flight) and put the one with the SSSS behind the other. The agent never looked close enough and I passed through freely. Not the most intelligent of scams, eh?
And yes I realize that I have just admitted to violating several national security and anti-terrorism laws and could be prosecuted and sent to a maximum security prison.
Aug 8, 2005 | 3:20 pm
#25
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Land of ORD
Programs: AA Plat UA Premier
Posts: 9,340
Originally Posted by stimpy
And yes I realize that I have just admitted to violating several national security and anti-terrorism laws and could be prosecuted and sent to a maximum security prison.
Aug 8, 2005 | 3:33 pm
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,092
I saw someone get SSSS'ed at the gate. They called TSA over to do it in the gate area. At the end, he was cleared, and the screener wanted a copy of the BP to keep.
I thought how good that wasn't me, as I would have insisted that he not be allowed allowed them to keep a copy of my BP.
I thought how good that wasn't me, as I would have insisted that he not be allowed allowed them to keep a copy of my BP.
Aug 9, 2005 | 10:48 pm
#27
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 707
I used to travel as SSSS a lot, out of curiousity (all pre-9/11, pre-TSA). It rarely failed to provide amusement. Sometimes I'd be "dump-searched" only at the gate, before I boarded (yup, I could've hidden some article elsewhere, taken my bag to be dump-searched, then retrieved the article elsewhere). Sometimes they'd just forget to search me. Sometimes I'd have a security director stand in my face, look menacing, and basically yell at me for not showing them my ID. It was all very inconsistent.
Or there was the time when, at the X-ray checkpoint, an agent picked out my bag and asked if he could search it. (I guess I was selected for a random bag search.) My response: "Actually, I'm running late for my flight -- do you have to?" I was curious to see what the answer would be, and I wasn't disappointed; he waved me off and picked the next person instead. Hmm.
I like to think that maybe things have gotten a lot more consistent with the advent of the TSA -- but I haven't tried any experiments lately.
Or there was the time when, at the X-ray checkpoint, an agent picked out my bag and asked if he could search it. (I guess I was selected for a random bag search.) My response: "Actually, I'm running late for my flight -- do you have to?" I was curious to see what the answer would be, and I wasn't disappointed; he waved me off and picked the next person instead. Hmm.
I like to think that maybe things have gotten a lot more consistent with the advent of the TSA -- but I haven't tried any experiments lately.
Aug 11, 2005 | 5:27 am
#28
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Washington, D.C.
Programs: DL GM, UA 1P, AA GLD
Posts: 1,963
If you can keep PDF copies of boarding passes on your computer and modify them as appropriate, you can avoid SSSS the next time you go to the airport. Bring along a copy of the printout bp, but get the SSSS copy from the counter/kiosk. Then show the printout copy at the checkpoint, and once you are airside take out a red pen, write TSA (and circle it) on the SSSS bp, and you're good to go! Our nation's best security practices at work.
Aug 11, 2005 | 5:33 am
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,337
Originally Posted by sowalsky
If you can keep PDF copies of boarding passes on your computer and modify them as appropriate, you can avoid SSSS the next time you go to the airport. Bring along a copy of the printout bp, but get the SSSS copy from the counter/kiosk. Then show the printout copy at the checkpoint, and once you are airside take out a red pen, write TSA (and circle it) on the SSSS bp, and you're good to go! Our nation's best security practices at work.