Hello,

As a Canadian, I have recently found out the amazing deals available from american airlines, and have started to travel to Buffalo to catch flights. We are travelling from Buffalo to Houston on Southwest (round-trip purchased online "internet special") in about a month, and I have come across various topics on this forum referring to "SSSS" and its connection to extra security and/or not being able to check in on-line. Although, we didn't have any difficulties on our last flight from Buffalo, I am curious about what the "SSSS" means and who/what it applies to.

Thanks for your help.

Welcome to FT, Summer.

If the SSSS designation appears on your boarding pass, that means that you have been selected for an additional thorough screening. They will pull you aside and wand you, pat you down, run the explosives detector patch on your shoes and carryons, and then go thru the carryons looking over your items piece by piece.

This is a giant pain in the a$$ and there are some things that you can do to minimize your chances of getting it. Altho it is frequently randomly given out, we think that actions like buying a one-way ticket, buying a ticket with cash, or changing your frequent flyer number when you check in (or maybe even at any time after you buy your ticket) may trigger the algorithm.

Also, try to check in online. If you have done everything correctly and there has been no substantial schedule change in your flight, a turndown with no boarding pass being issued to you frequently means that you have been selected and the BP that you get at the airport will have the SSSS. When that happens, you know that you need get there early leaving a little extra time for the search.

What the geniuses in Washington don't seem to realize is that they have made the whole thing virtually useless since any aspiring terrorist who can't get his BP online can merely scratch that trip and try again on another.

I think it stands for Schutzstaffel Selected Screening. "Schutzstaffel" is the german word for "protective guard."

It means they have you by the SSSShort Hairs and can legally coerce you into doing anything they tell you until your public humiliation bores them. (How are you at being forced into barefoot dancing in a crowd and having to smile the whole time with your airplane wings stretched out?)

Think you can do anything about it? "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig."

You do realise that you've just passed on SSI and have helped 'them'. From now on you will now be subected to SSSSSS from now on. Do be sure to wear clean shorts.

You might also want to provide your own set of fresh latex gloves. Cuz you never know where theirs has been. @:-)

Geeze, that's the best part of the job, nothing satisfies me quite like going through the diaper bag before proceeding onto a full body pat down...

It stands for Secondary Security Screening Selectee. AKA the "rubber glove treatment."