iahphx

I didn't think it would work, but I tried printing out int'l boarding passes and -- oh happy day -- I got them! Does that mean I'm off the SSSS list? It would only be a month of hassle.

Or am I only a suspected terrorist on domestic flights? Like could they be using my passport info (I wasn't hassled at Customs last time) instead of my Known Traveler Number?

GUWonder

If you were able to do OLCI and get a boarding pass, then you're most probably not going to end up with <SSSS> absent a boarding pass being reissued. And even then, the odds of another <SSSS> at that time are very low if your KTN is in the record.

Unless there was a mess-up with the transmission of your PNR(s), it sounds like you have certainly dropped off a temporary blacklist for most flights. While your odds of <SSSS> have not disappeared completely, they will be rather rare and probably be mostly limited to some foreign-origin flights to the US or onward connections in the US from such flights or PNRs. In other words, you are basically cleared from the worst of this temporary blacklisting.

If anything, relative to a KTN in a PNR, a passport number in a PNR somewhat increases (rather than lowers) the odds of <SSSS>.

If you want to know why I know what I know about this, I'm not divulging that via a URL either.

iahphx

Thanks GUWonder for all the helpful info. I've got another domestic trip in about 2 weeks with my family, so if we don't get hassled then, I figure we're essentially done with this. Good news for any other unfortunate souls who stop in IST. A month is bearable.

midtownapsk

Just for the record flew on a one way paid flight in early Jan from DAR to IAD on TK via IST in J (the outbound leg was award ticket). No <SSSS> whatsoever on subsequent domestic travel. I have pre-check.

GUWonder

For how many hours were you at IST?

midtownapsk

I think about 4 or so.

atword

To add another data point to this old thread, I just got SSSS for the first time on a return trip from KIX to SFO in February 2015. This was my first international trip after registering for GE. I was TSA PRE on the way out and SSSS on the way back.

My travel was multi-leg and multi-country so that may have been a contributing factor.

• ORD-PVG on UA
• HKG-HND on ANA
• KIX-SFO-ORD on UA

It will be interesting to see if this continues on future trips.

GUWonder

Then I'm wagering that the US government was able to easily piece together that that trip didn't have "broken travel" (record) involving a country bordering ISIL territory. The PNR surveillance systems and APIS-type filing requirements are instrumental in these determinations.

It's the system finding of "broken travel" involving Turkey (for a primary example) that drives much of the <SSSS> mess. Sometimes the government gets around to factoring in other (lawfully or unlawfully) shared or stolen data to either put/keep people on or off (or moved across) blacklists related to <SSSS> outcomes.

It's the "broken travel" aspect that drives the government batty. A transit via IST for 4 hours wouldn't generally be considered an opportunity to have broken travel in an ISIL border state.

iahphx

Just as a wrap-up. My family's SSSS designation seems to be permanently gone. We've all now taken 2 SSSS-free roundtrips on different airlines, and have our pre-check status back.

I did fill out the TRIP paperwork for myself, but never got around to submitting it for my wife and daughter (they weren't around to sign when I sent mine in). It obviously didn't make any difference, as we all exited SSSS surveillance at the same time. Homeland Security did write back to me with vague assurances that I'd now be OK. Without elaboration, they claimed my SSSS's were a result of random checks or "misidentification."

Obviously this was considerable hassle, but since it only lasted a month, I'm feeling pretty lucky about the whole thing.

exerda

This was probably UA giving you the SSSS, to meet a "quota" so to speak (they have to identify a certain % of pax as such IIRC). It has nothing to do with GE.

Last time it happened to me on an international itin, UA claimed DHS "made" them do it. I had had GE for about 2 years at that time, FWIW, and had flown internationally with no issue several times.

Section 107

I am confused by this thread:

are pax being searched by TSA employess at airports outside the US?

Exleftseat

Of course not, but that does not preclude one from being randomly ( we hope ) "SSSS'd", which is a definite pain in the rear.

Randyk47

Actually not a bad observation and I was wondering a bit about this myself. Now I'll have to say after our last two trips through Heathrow (LHR) and Rome (FCO) I'll take TSA any day.

Poor wife made an honest mistake and kept her iPad in her carry on. You would have thought she was trying to make off with the Crown Jewels. Meant a loud and demeaning lecture by some British security agent and a complete emptying of her carry on and a piece by piece examination of the contents. Took 15-20 minutes and then they got all over her for not just throwing her stuff back in the bag.

FCO wasn't that bad but they want everything out of your carry on that even remotely is or resembles something electic. That means headphones, all batteries, cameras, charging blocks, cords, etc., etc., that then had to be put in individual plastic baggies. Not hard but if we'd known before we'd have packed differently.

Yep TSA on this side of the pond has its issues but they don't have sole license to hassle and sometimes harass. Oh....and SSSS.....never had it overseas but I jokingly can't seem to get out of Las Vegas without it. Twice in the last 3 visits.

GUWonder

TSA flags many passengers outside of the US for <SSSS> screening, with much of that extra screening conducted by TSA-wanted-and-approved contractors technically paid by the airlines in order to satisfy the USG.

TSA does have some employees working outside of the US; but the physical performance art screening you may see at airports outside of the US when flying US common carriers on scheduled commercial flights is not done by these TSA employees working outside of the US.

atword

On my flight from KIX to SFO it wasn't really that invasive. Nothing noticeably extra at security but then they enhanced me at the gate after scanning my BP. They casually looked through my carry-on wiped my clothing and laptop with their special cloth and then ran it through the electronic sniffer. It took four people to perform this task. Then I was cleared for boarding.

After arriving in SFO I went down the TSA PRE line and was directed back to the regular line. Even that wasn't too bad. Again they gave me and my laptop the special cloth wipedown and looked through my bag without removing the contents.

I never received ultra-enhanced double-secret-probation screening in another room.