Fizzer

It happened to me yesterday and two days ago on a trip from UVF St Lucia to YYC via EWR and IAH on Unitedwith an overinght in EWR. Our first trip post Nexus. At UVF it was a real PIA. Had to leave my wife and head into a corridor where they painstakingly unpacked our suitcases item by item, feeling everything for anything hidden inside and then re xrayed the empty suitcases, repacked them and x rayed them again. Took upwards of 45 minutes, at which time I had to go through security myself.The result was that after arriving early to avoid line ups, allow time to shop, have a drink etc before departure I wasn't "released" until shortly before boarding by which time there was a huge line up for security. Got through just in time to be called for Priority boarding with Group One only to be pulled aside again to have the same process on my carry on while everyone else boarded. By the time I finally got aboard there was no room in the overhead bins.What a PITA.
The next morning at EWR I had the SSSS again. No problems really in EWR, however, other than the usual body frisk and nude o scope. Finally, at IAH at the gate they wanted me to go through it again until I could prove I'd already had it done at EWR by showing them the boarding pass for the first flight initialled by security.

I know Nexus / Global Entry is immigration and this was security but I thought the purpose of a Trusted Traveller Program was to make it easier by having yourself prescreened for risk. Oh well we live and learn.

Often1

Have you filed a complaint with DHS-Trip (used to be the redress program)?

http://www.dhs.gov/dhs-trip

It would seem self-evident that there is something about your information which could be anything from a name mismatch to worse. You will never know what the "it" is, but you may be able to get it resolved and the "SSSS" may just go away. Or it may take a long time. Or it may just never go away.

Do not make the argument that because you hold N/GE that you could not possibly be on some Watch List. It's possible that you simply slipped by during a sweep. The result of this argument is much more likely to be revocation of N/GE than it is to remove you from a Watch List.

FlyerGoldII

Does not the TSA receive from the US CBP/US Department of Homeland Security, the status of each passenger, including whether they are a trusted traveler?

tashi

I was invited for the TSA PreCheck pilot a year or so back, and then in 2013 I also applied for Global Entry and was improved. Been travelling over 120K EQM on UA for last five years. On my first flight of this year, I didnt get a Boarding Pass in email and on my mobile app, with the message that I should print at Airport Kiosk. Went to the kiosk at the airport and went thru all the prompts and in the end it gave message that I should see an Airport representative. Went to Checkin Desk and the guy printed the BP and said this doesnt show my Pre Check logo and then he came to the front of the kiosk and entered his ID and then went thru the prompts and printed the BP and it said SSSS on it. I went thru a grueling session from TSA.

On the return flight also, the auto return checkin option checked me in, sent me email that I need to see an airport agent and again SSSS on my BP and the same episode with TSA. Now today I am again travelling and the checkin didnt give me BP and asking me to see Airport rep. I went to my profile on UA and my Known Traveler field was blank, I re-entered my Global Entry info in it, tried to reprint the the BP and same thing that I need to see airport guy.

Both the airport checkin person and United Club rep told me that they havent seen SSSS in years. So anyone else with Global Entry experienced this?

ryder1650

I have Global Entry and was flying NRT-SEA-SFO and got the SSSS in NRT for both the NRT-SEA and SEA-SFO legs. Has not happened since.

LilAbner

I'd try this ---

http://www.globalentry.gov/contactus.html

There is a place to inquire and/or file a complaint!

tarheelnj

I have Global Entry and I get this about once a year. Most recently YQB-EWR.

deek

Global Entry but last November picked up the dreaded SSSS departing BUF for ORD.
It happens

LaserSailor

Maybe 3 times annually, and more common on YXX flights.

One memorable time when CATSA forgot to clear me and next in line and I almost caused a YYZ terminal dump.

intltravel90

GE, happened last year in YYZ.

mgcsinc

Maybe time to look into getting a redress number?

tashi

Just an update, went thru the process of applying for redress and provided all the required documents. Seems like the SSSSs have gone away and my Pre-Check privilege has returned.

Ari

I guess the redress process works for some people. ^

GUWonder

I've been having this looked into, and the <SSSS> stops happening even without going through to get a Redress number too.

GEs do get hit by SSSS flags more than most when it comes to flights on US carriers that originate outside of the US and may include a domestic US connection. So far it seems to more frequently hit GE members of MEA backgrounds more than others. Having a redress number won't stop that always.

Mats

It's true that flights from Canada to the US seem to be the most prone to "SSSS" even for those of us with Global Entry.

Here is my theory:
Most transborder flights are on small aircraft: regional jets, Dash-8s. So you're dealing with a smaller "n" of passengers. If the US requires that a certain percentage of passengers per flights are subject to additional screening, the odds are much higher on such a small airplane.

I'm not saying this is smart; I'm just saying that it might explain why Canada is different.

So if a US carrier has a transborder flight, they might have a certain number of selectees based on the usual criteria (date of purchase, method of payment, one way, etc.) If they run out of selectees from this algorithm, anyone can be slapped with an SSSS. It would be so nice to exclude trusted travelers, but I guess they haven't figured that out yet.

Then again, maybe it's a way to justify continuing trusted traveler programs: "Just remember, you can always be pulled aside."