nonce

Having already complained to the security screening supervisor and being laughed at, I thought I would go with being laughed at by FT as well .....

As many would know the trace detection test is meant to be random, that is the screener is meant to pick passengers at random but based on a quota of male vs female PAX. Once selected the PAX cannot be unselected and as I have been told on numerous occasions the screener is not trained in profiling and is not meant to profile PAX for the purpose of selection. So it is meant to be random.

However, in the last week and a half I have been selected when flying out of the QF Sydney terminal 3 out of 4 times. Even in peak when 5 male PAX passed the waiting screener on two occasions I was still selected. The difference on the time I was not selected, was I was dressed in a suit, not jeans and a polo shirt.

From speaking with a friend she is 9 from 9 in being selected out of Sydney, while my wife is 2 from 2 (in a week).

It is at the stage now where I can predict that I am going to be selected out of Sydney with a 100% accuracy rate! While this causes much amusement to those surrounding me while waiting to go through security, resulting in much laughter when I get selected it is however not random!

Strangely enough I don't have the same issue out of Canberra, Brisbane or Melbourne (since lodging a complaint a year ago regarding similar experiences in MEL).

To me it is clear that screeners in Sydney are selecting PAX not at random and preferencing specific types of PAX. My issue with this is that it would be very easy to profile the selection methods of security and plan your trip around this. This method of non random selection therefore compromises the effectiveness of a random selection method.

Is anyone else experiencing similar issues, or conversely is never selected out of Sydney?

deeruck

I am selected in CBR a majority of times through security, though hardly if ever in SYD/MEL/PER/ADL.

In future, I intend to travel with you to ensure this continues.

bugayev

Do you always carry a certain type of bag, or take a couple of seconds to get your stuff together?

If so you may simply be fitting the bill for the criteria they use to select people to have the ion scan.

Leumas

Proportionally, I'm about the same across SYD, MEL and BNE regardless of whether I'm wearing business attire or t-shirt and thongs.

I know that whenever I'm in a rush, appear annoyed or ruffled, I'll pretty much guarantee I'll get selected.

Blackcloud

Same with me, if in a rush I will get chosen.
I tend to use the Kiwi Flyer method of slow packing and let others be chosen then quickly walk past.
Unfortunately Mrs Blackcloud when travelling with me this year has hit 3 out of 4, PPT the exception not good when you want to lounge.

Lonely Flyer

I have never been selected but when travelling with my wife she is 80% of the time.

I think they pick the easy marks. You know those that look meek.

m0hamed

I'm an Arab, I get selected in MEL 100% of the time, 100% in BNE and 20% in SYD. You learn to let them do their job because the quicker you comply, and they do the scan, the quicker you are let through. I watch other people argue, yell etc. and I wonder what purpose does it possibly serve.

I do think it ironic that most of the SMP security staff are of Arab background.

I've only had 1 bad incident where a your lad took the wand down the front of my pants. Was thoroughly unimpressed, but he was more embarrassed than I was when I said to him he should really scan other areas.

og

I am only selected if I exchange eye contact with the detector person and if they have finished with their last victim and waiting for the next.

But, I have learnt when in the USA not to use the words "explosives" when chatting with the TSA when being swabbed.

moa999

If the guy is free I take my time collecting bags etc and let someone else take the pain. If the person is busy I pack up quickly and get past.

Last caught at BNE about 18mths ago and had 30+ dom flights since.

turtlemichael

Like others here I know how to avoid selection, or at least minimize the chances. No eye contact, linger so that the wand person is busy as you pass.

Yesterday through Cairns I was selected but I was the only one going through at the time so I was not going to avoid it. We both joked that given it was quiet terrorists were a touch unlikely to come through knowing they would be screened. This process is the most token piece of window dressing in the whole security screening bit. A terrorist with half a brain could get round it

djsflynn

Heh heh... I love all these practical real-world tips!

m0hamed: I feel for you, I have some Arab and Indian friends and they're almost always called out for the scan. But your approach is right on the money: don't argue or get down on them for doing their job, just let 'em be done with it and get on your way.

My call-out rate was around 25% last year - and I'm as white-bread and white-collar as you can get. I always make a point of being friendly and joking with them, no sense getting all het up over what you can't avoid.

But on recent trips I adopted some of the same tactics here to avoid the call-out entirely:

• don't look like you're in a rush, just be casual and easy
• avoid eye contact
• have a quick casual glance or use peripheral vision to see that all the staff are already busy scanning other people before you move off
• if they're not, do a slightly slow-pack (which goes against my grain of efficiency and get-through, get-out, get-into-the-lounge) and let someone else step ahead and get snared
• rather than walk straight out ahead, angle towards an occupied inspector or angle slightly away from an unoccupied inspector.

eoinnz

I'm scanned pretty much every time and I put it down to bad timing and luck. I am average joe blog.

Even when on duty in uniform I am always selected for the additional screening what seems like every trip.

drewbles

Whilst not being flight crew, I have the same issue. They seem to love waiting for people with laptops to re-pack, and let others just pass them by until that person is finished re-packing their bags.

I probably have a 95% hit rate on the swabs. I now just walk up silently, put bag up, unzip zips, hold arms out and let them swipe me. I don't even speak to them (usually i'm just wanting to go to the lounge for a drink!).

I've tried to do the 'wait until they're busy' thing, but I always seem to mis-time it. Will have to try harder

VH-RMD

I get swabbed most of the time, I do not speak to them anymore, particularly after the time the swabber pushed my things on the table causing my camera to fall, breaking the lens - but guess what, they have no liability (don't worry I chased down every possible avenue) so $1000 later for a new one, they get no help, smile or word from me - and I do not hold my arms out.

vecta

Absolutely agree.

Same here. I don't have anything to say to them, all they are doing is delaying my lounge time! It's their job so I don't bother to get annoyed, just get the whole process over as fast as possible.