I have flown 86 segments since 9/11.

In that time I have never been GATE searched.

Has somone out there flown more without a gate search?

I had one gate search last Christmas, but since then I've done 84 segments in 2002 without a single gate search.

Random searches, my a**.

I seem to run about 30-50%, including an all-but-strip search (hand search of checked bags, shoes-off wanding and frisking at the gate) when flying on a one-way Southwest ticket.

I also used to get selected about 75% of the time for the explosive-residue swabbing going through the security check at BWI.

Can't say it's because of my appearance...

Not that many segments, but never searched either. My wife was right behind me and got the next available person in line one last month, so it was close.

We must be on the same flights. The reason you have never been searched in all those segments is probably because I have been on those flights and I have been the lucky one randomly searched 75% of the time.

I had aperfectly clean record of never being selected for gate screening until I flew on a paper driver's license after moving to CA.

There was nothing random about my selection, the gate agent was just clearly confused about this and made no secret about my being sent for secondary screenign for this reason.

However, I did notice that the actual screening people seemed a little annoyed that I had been sent over for that reason. They asked me who sent me over.

I was selected about 75% of the time until I got smart and read right here on FT about the techniques people have used to avoid it. I wait for some unlucky individual to be picked and make sure I time my entry into line so I make it past the gate agent before they are finished. My record of getting through since I've adopted this procedure is 100% non-selection.

Just had that done to my carry on this past monday.

Only one gate check all year and that was in Kauai.

My system seems to work so far:

1. Do not get in an x-ray line if it's empty... pick the one with a couple people in front of you. The hand-searchers and swabbers work continuously, so you're screwed if you pick an empty x-ray machine.

2. Do not sit in the seats closest to the counter at the gate. Sometimes the gate agents pick a few people from the gate area--usually the ones closest to the counter.

3. Follow Flies2Much's system: get in line just as the screeners have picked someone, so that they're busy while you board.

4. Write to your local paper, Congressional representative, and the TSA to help institute a "trusted traveller" program and get rid of this random nonsense.

I'm interested in hearing the exact opposite. Any FTers who've read tips as posted here still getting stopped a big chunk of the time? Who's gotten the most gate searches in the past 12 months?

I've had one gate search in about 40 or so segments.

cnk

Almost on topic: 36 segments since September 2001. 58 so far this year. Only 1 gate search, and that was due to being a gentleman and allowing 2 women PAX ahead of me. I knew it would be close. Yes, the screener completed her duties and selected her next "random" person (me). I'm claiming a perfect 0 for 94 since last September. Slight drift: I recently ran into a colleague for 2 segments home and found he was clueless on avoiding the search. He has been picked a bunch since he hasn't been paying attention. I opened his eyes.

Use of a passport rather than a driver's license (the latter much more easily gotten I suppose) also, I believe, avoids certain triggers. I have flown 48 segments since 9/11, including a European trip 6 days afterwards, and have been searched once (when too far front in line).

I don't know what it is that makes me get picked so often for the "random" screening, but maybe since my ethnic background is an Asian Pacific Island where Muslim (sic) rebels have been turning kidnapping into a growth industry may have something to do with it?

I follow all the "rules". I make sure I am not first in line, I try and time my place in line to make sure that the screeners are busy when I get to the ticket reader, I don't fly one way with tickets purchased for cash etc. I still get chosen and sent over for the cavity search, even when there are already a bunch of people already waiting to be searched. One time, I was just a face in the line waiting to board when the gate agent walked directly over to me, pulled me out of line and sent me to be screened!?!?



[This message has been edited by onedog (edited 09-14-2002).]

About 80 segments so far this year, gate searched about 25 times. I used to board first and would get picked 50% of the time, but I've gotten better at hiding from the gate and blending in. Scary that it's that easy.

80 + Segments on Continental since 9/11 no searches

Was running 90 % on America West until about a two weeks ago - now I breeze through