Feb 9, 2024, 12:35 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
This is an archive thread, the active thread is Recent experiences with SSSS for the UA traveler?
Recent experiences with SSSS for the UA traveler {Archive}
Sep 20, 2014, 7:56 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,893
Recent experiences with SSSS for the UA traveler {Archive}
At OLCI for LHR-EWR-BOS, United was unable to issue me a mobile boarding pass and put me in an unusual state where I was checked-in, but no boarding pass was issued.
The "e-mail your boarding pass" link says "Please note that we are unable to provide boarding documents for travelers in this reservation. Please go to an airport check-in kiosk or see a United representative at the airport to receive boarding documents for these travelers:". The document says "Attention: (name) Confirmation: (PNR) This is not a boarding pass. You are checked-in, but we are unable to provide any boarding passes for your itinerary via united.com."
At the airport, a kiosk was happy to issue me a boarding pass. For LHR-EWR the boarding pass has "SSSS" at the top. For EWR-BOS the boarding pass does not have "SSSS" printed on it anywhere. Strangely, the domestic boarding pass also does not show "TSA Pre" status (so looks like I'll be taking the regular premium security line at EWR?).
The LHR security process was no different, so I assume there will be a step during boarding where they see my boarding pass and have someone hand-search my bags.
(1) Why would UA/USA do this? My spouse has identical travel booked on a separate PNR (and identical travel for the last few months) and did not get SSSS'd on this segment (and does show "TSA PRE" on her domestic boarding pass as usual).
I asked a counter agent to explain what is up here and whether there's any reason the PNR would be flagged and she said "no, this is probably just random."
(2) I don't really want Pre-Check to permanently vanish for future bookings; if this is not random but some systems error, is there anything UA can do about it now?
The "e-mail your boarding pass" link says "Please note that we are unable to provide boarding documents for travelers in this reservation. Please go to an airport check-in kiosk or see a United representative at the airport to receive boarding documents for these travelers:". The document says "Attention: (name) Confirmation: (PNR) This is not a boarding pass. You are checked-in, but we are unable to provide any boarding passes for your itinerary via united.com."
At the airport, a kiosk was happy to issue me a boarding pass. For LHR-EWR the boarding pass has "SSSS" at the top. For EWR-BOS the boarding pass does not have "SSSS" printed on it anywhere. Strangely, the domestic boarding pass also does not show "TSA Pre" status (so looks like I'll be taking the regular premium security line at EWR?).
The LHR security process was no different, so I assume there will be a step during boarding where they see my boarding pass and have someone hand-search my bags.
(1) Why would UA/USA do this? My spouse has identical travel booked on a separate PNR (and identical travel for the last few months) and did not get SSSS'd on this segment (and does show "TSA PRE" on her domestic boarding pass as usual).
I asked a counter agent to explain what is up here and whether there's any reason the PNR would be flagged and she said "no, this is probably just random."
(2) I don't really want Pre-Check to permanently vanish for future bookings; if this is not random but some systems error, is there anything UA can do about it now?
Sep 20, 2014, 8:14 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: near to SFO and LHR
Programs: BA Gold, B6 Mosiac, VS, AA, DL (and a legacy UA 2MM)
Posts: 2,274
I wouldn't worry too much, as this may turn out to be a one-time event!
I've had it happen to me, but not for a couple of years.
I've had it happen to me, but not for a couple of years.
Sep 20, 2014, 8:28 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Costa Rica
Programs: UA 1K, Priority Platinum, Marriot Gold, Delta Platinum
Posts: 308
The SSSS is random, it happened to me not long ago after several years of flying to US
Sep 20, 2014, 8:29 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,115
Once every couple years this happens to me in an international location. One time I had the agent apologize profusely to me for it saying she had no idea why it would flag me (GS, pre, US passport, etc).
No rhyme. No reason. Just shrug it off and go on with life.
No rhyme. No reason. Just shrug it off and go on with life.
Sep 20, 2014, 4:59 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Syd
Programs: UA 1k 1MM, VA G
Posts: 886
Happened to me to recently on syd-lax
Booked bf, 1k, global entry, us passport
Just a normal iten and bam ssss
It was only for the one set of segments
The return worked as normal with pre etc...
I'd just chalk it up to random bad luck
Booked bf, 1k, global entry, us passport
Just a normal iten and bam ssss
It was only for the one set of segments
The return worked as normal with pre etc...
I'd just chalk it up to random bad luck
Sep 20, 2014, 7:57 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,160
When you get to EWR, go to a Kiosk (there's some just to the right of the escalator just after the bag drop) and re-print your boarding pass. It's not guaranteed, but several times I've done this when connecting International->Domestic and got Pre on the new boarding pass when I didn't have it on the original one.
Sep 20, 2014, 8:12 pm
#7
Moderator: Midwest, Las Vegas & Dining Buzz
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Posts: 17,976
When you get to EWR, go to a Kiosk (there's some just to the right of the escalator just after the bag drop) and re-print your boarding pass. It's not guaranteed, but several times I've done this when connecting International->Domestic and got Pre on the new boarding pass when I didn't have it on the original one.
Sep 20, 2014, 8:55 pm
#8
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: Free checked in bag on UA & DL. Free icecream at Marriott checkin.
Posts: 2,862
I get SSSS everytime I fly back from Africa (any country, any carrier). It is just an annoying thing.
I have learned to take only non-US carrier to get back to the US to reduce the amount of probing and physical assault at the gate area. Most non-US carriers, just ignore the SSSS crap whereas on US carriers they have a printout to subject you to more personal and public physical assault. Cannot believe that in 2014 we still have this meaningless crap going on...
I have learned to take only non-US carrier to get back to the US to reduce the amount of probing and physical assault at the gate area. Most non-US carriers, just ignore the SSSS crap whereas on US carriers they have a printout to subject you to more personal and public physical assault. Cannot believe that in 2014 we still have this meaningless crap going on...
Sep 20, 2014, 9:49 pm
#9
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: What I write is my opinion alone..don't read into it anything not written.
Posts: 9,686
I get SSSS everytime I fly back from Africa (any country, any carrier). It is just an annoying thing.
I have learned to take only non-US carrier to get back to the US to reduce the amount of probing and physical assault at the gate area. Most non-US carriers, just ignore the SSSS crap whereas on US carriers they have a printout to subject you to more personal and public physical assault. Cannot believe that in 2014 we still have this meaningless crap going on...
I have learned to take only non-US carrier to get back to the US to reduce the amount of probing and physical assault at the gate area. Most non-US carriers, just ignore the SSSS crap whereas on US carriers they have a printout to subject you to more personal and public physical assault. Cannot believe that in 2014 we still have this meaningless crap going on...
While not mentioning any terrorist groups by name, King Abdullah said he is "certain that after a month they will reach Europe and, after another month, America."
And we had people clammering after 9/11 that all the signs were there, why didn't anyone do things, now we have people clamoring that they don't want things done.
Sep 20, 2014, 9:54 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Posts: 10,909
Without going into OMNI turf, King Abdullah, the king of the country that spawned the 9/11 attacks that made all this security possible, seems to thing that there is a VERY serious threat. http://online.wsj.com/articles/saudi...ope-1409412193
While not mentioning any terrorist groups by name, King Abdullah said he is "certain that after a month they will reach Europe and, after another month, America."
And we had people clammering after 9/11 that all the signs were there, why didn't anyone do things, now we have people clamoring that they don't want things done.
While not mentioning any terrorist groups by name, King Abdullah said he is "certain that after a month they will reach Europe and, after another month, America."
And we had people clammering after 9/11 that all the signs were there, why didn't anyone do things, now we have people clamoring that they don't want things done.
Sep 20, 2014, 10:04 pm
#11
Moderator: Mileage Run, United Airlines; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: The City/Honolulu
Programs: UA 3MM; Hyatt Glob*****; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,473
It happened to me ex-FCO two months ago. The agent said it means nothing--just ignore it. So I did and apparently so did their security. I experienced no additional security.
Sep 21, 2014, 7:03 am
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,893
Just to follow up on this SSSS'd trip LHR-EWR-BOS:
(1) "SSSS" on boarding pass at LHR meant that after presenting boarding pass, I was escorted to a room next to the gate area where a person swabbed all my electronics, stuck the swab in a machine, waited for a beep, put a sticker on my boarding pass, and let me go.
(2) At EWR, *was* able to re-print boarding pass EWR-BOS at a kiosk or via mobile app. It did *not* say PreCheck.
(3) OLCI'd for another trip today and boarding pass reflects Pre-Check as usual.
So as UA and others here suggested, maybe a random one-off.
(1) "SSSS" on boarding pass at LHR meant that after presenting boarding pass, I was escorted to a room next to the gate area where a person swabbed all my electronics, stuck the swab in a machine, waited for a beep, put a sticker on my boarding pass, and let me go.
(2) At EWR, *was* able to re-print boarding pass EWR-BOS at a kiosk or via mobile app. It did *not* say PreCheck.
(3) OLCI'd for another trip today and boarding pass reflects Pre-Check as usual.
So as UA and others here suggested, maybe a random one-off.
Sep 21, 2014, 9:52 am
#14
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Indiana
Programs: United GS 1.5MM, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Gold
Posts: 533
Had a SSSS on a SIN-NRT-ORD, but got pre check on my ORD-IND leg. First time ever with a SSSS.
Just seems like it is random
Just seems like it is random
Sep 21, 2014, 4:45 pm
#15
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: WAS
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Nexus, GE
Posts: 2,123
SSSS happens once in maybe 7 flights for me from YYZ. It's annoying, but the Canadians take it fairly seriously. No Nexus security, full body scan or pat down plus thorough going through of security. At YYZ, you get a special CATSA (their version of TSA) stamp if you have SSSS. If you do not get this, you will be very much screwed at the gate and sent back to security. I learned this the hard way once.