brp1264

I got SSSS on a SIN-LAX flight recently.

Traveling with my wife who isn't a citizen and has no pre-check. I have pre-check and got it and she didn't.

Got to security at the gate 20 minutes before boarding started. Was #5 in the SSSS line. Everyone got through and by the time I got cleared, BG4 was already boarding. Sooooo slow with only 1 person screening the SSSS line.

garkster

Posting here because both instances involve UA award tickets.

I'm GE 1K MM blah blah.

Last Intl inbound of R/T about 6 months ago on UA NRT-SFO got my first SSSS. Today it's LX connecting to ZRH-SFO on a O/W. Checked baggage on both trips ticketed at least a month in advance.

Both times J and both times accompanied by Ms. Garkster on the same PNR who did not get it.

Prior to the UA flight in April had done many R/T & O/W paid and award int'l (including O/W tickets issued 1 or 2 days before departure) and never got it nor have I ever seen it in many years of flying in the US. I've never been to any of the 'dangerous' countries either.

AirborneCattleCar

Got SSSS and ugly red sticker on passport at check-in on a BCN to EWR back in September. Solo traveler, booked this ticket like half a year ago, no changes to it, and had flown 80 PQS at that point. No idea why I got it.

Gate agent said to be there 20 minutes before boarding. I got there 30 and was first SSSS to check in. A few more showed up before that 20 minute time and they let us go to secondary screening early.

Secondary took between 5-7 minutes while they did their thing. Not sure why I was selected but it wasn't a huge deal.

MostlyUA

I am a GS. I get SSSS whenever I book a one-way ticket. I have been SSSS'd in CDG-SFO, SIN-SFO (twice this year), HKG-SFO. LHR-SFO (twice this year). Never domestic flights and always coming back to SFO. My travel must trigger some algorithm TSA employs to tag passengers.

nomad420

Single traveler, typically male, with a one way ticket on an international flight. While I have done that and not got SSSS'd that seems to be a "red flag".

cfischer

just using that doesn't fix the problem though ... tried that last time.

dinoscool3

Plane-is-home

jeffrocowboy

AKL-SFO-EWR-YHZ

first sector on AirNZ - couldn't check in online or using kiosks, required agent check in and SSSS appeared on boarding passes for all 3 sectors. Swabbed at AKL and carry on searched (the bonus of this was missing the inane interview where some kid asks you questions about your visit and which seems to take longer than the swabbing etc)

second sector on UA - at SFO was swabbed, body scanned, pat down, carry on searched, passport whisked away and then returned

third sector no more TSA interest

return journey YHZ-BOS-LAX-AKL - I enjoyed TSA pre-checked approval (which was useful as I made a tight connection at BOS with ease)

zdog2x

Live4Upgrade

SSSS = super special strip search
Getting it in FRA is a pain, especially if on a tight connection from an inbound flight.

AndyPatterson

Same here -- happened to me for the first time ever on LHR-IAD flight after I had to cancel the return ticket on a round-trip and buy a new one-way ticket on the way back (long story). But, what was nice is that I was in Group 1, but was the only person in the SSSS pen. The GA called the GS passengers (n=5) first, but they had to wait in a small holding area next to the gate door as the plane wasn't ready. Meanwhile, they called me for a very quick search (just swabbing the carry-on bags), and I then joined the GS passengers for a few minutes before the door finally opened. I looked back and could see some folks in Group 1 who were staring, wondering how I had jumped ahead of them. We 6 boarded and the FA waited until we had all our bags put away before calling the gate to let them know to send the Group 1 passengers! So, being SSSS actually put me ahead of my assigned boarding group. Obviously this is only one data point; YMMV...

brp1264

I'm 2/2 on my last international flights the past two months. SIN->LAX and LHR->IAH.

SIN was a PITA as we had to wait for an hour and BG4 was boarding by the time I got through.

LHR was easy peasy as it was a near empty flight and they got me checked before boarding started and stuck me in a waiting area.

villox

gene2632

Glad I am not the only one getting SSSS on these flights. Got it May LHR to EWR but it was just a quick check at the gate by someone who spoke English and was respectful of my fancy cameras.. got it again about 10 days ago FCO to EWR. Announcments were hard to hear, line was slow, English was very poor, some grunting and "sorry" but at least they did not manhandle my gear but after I "cleared" and returned to wait to board. As I was boarding they pulled me out again and wanted to look. I pointed out they had done it 10 minutes earlier, the same guy and asked for a supervisor who spoke real English....then I got "sorry, so sorry, go ahead"."our mistake". I get the need for security but I worry about these clowns and their real competence. Oh, don't even ask me about BCN to CLT to EWR when they tried to break my gear.....it really is not a bag of potato chips and it really should not be thrown on to the belt....