Anyone know how they pick people for "additional security screening" at the airport??

[jozzmenia]

Hello. Not sure where this would go, but I've been really curious. I just flew in from Florida (Jacksonville to Flint, MI with a layover in Atlanta) and when the girl checked my ID, she pulled out a ticket and said "you have been randomly selected for additional screening" and sent me through the other line where they manually search your bags and drinks and send you though a bomb detecting machine and all that stuff. It was only a minor inconvenience and slightly annoying, but no one had to many answers as to why I was selected, they sort of evaded the question actually and I didn't push the issue because I didn't want to draw too much attention in that situation... I'm just just left wondering how they picked me...

I'm not trying to offend anyone by saying this, but someone told me if you look foreign, like Arab or Indian, Palestinian, etc., then they do that (don't know if they were serious or not). I'm not, I'm black, and they told me I was selected at the ticket phase not the agent phase...I'm confused. Just curious if anyone knew about this...

 

[mkt]

many factors go into effect... males travelling alone, no checked bags, packing lightly, last minute/walkup ticket purchase, one way fare, having a Y chromosome while being any of the above especially, no ID, etc.

However, they do have a minimum number, so some will be done at random.

If your boarding pass has "SSSS" or "NO ID" printed across the front, enjoy getting secondary.

My views on this are pretty well known, and I've had no shame in expressing them on TSA comment cards.

Also, don't take off your shoes... refuse to give in to the TSA's shoe fetish.

 

[dolbyman]

never smile ... do argue with your folks .. but never smile .. will make you suspicious ...:lookaroun

 

[jozzmenia]

many factors go into effect... males travelling alone, no checked bags, packing lightly, last minute/walkup ticket purchase, one way fare, having a Y chromosome while being any of the above especially, no ID, etc.



However, they do have a minimum number, so some will be done at random.



If your boarding pass has "SSSS" or "NO ID" printed across the front, enjoy getting secondary.



My views on this are pretty well known, and I've had no shame in expressing them on TSA comment cards.



Also, don't take off your shoes... refuse to give in to the TSA's shoe fetish.

I was traveling with my cousin - two black females, ages 26 and 28. We both had ID, but it was SORT of like a walk up ticket I think because we had to change our flight because we missed the 1st one. So we had a 5:30 flight but we didnt get there until about 5:05, so they basically said we were too late, so we changed to the 7:05 flight at the last minute...so maybe that had something to do with it...We had checked bags and DEFINITELY DID NOT pack lightly :lookaroun It was a round trip ticket too...

We did have the "SSSS" so what does that mean anyway??

I always where flip flops so I don't have to take off my shoes...

Thanks for the input!

 

[disneygirl_wdw]

When I went on a class trip about a quarter of our group was randomly picked. Most of us being white female 20 year olds I think one of our professors was picked too. The problem with ours was we were already running to the gate, it just took a little longer. Luckily we had a professor holding the plane .

 

[nillyp]

I'm white and my boyfriend is black, and last time we went to Disney, we were "randomly searched" in Charlotte, and "randomly searched" in Orlando. So both airports we went through "randomly searched" us. I thought this was hilarious since he's a cop, and it was a huge waste of their time. However, we did have companion passes, which are passes the airlines give their employees to give to their friends and family. His sister works for AA, so our tickets said "companion pass" on them. That may be why we were searched, because they thought we were affiliated with the company, so it would be less of the general public they were inconviencing. Otherwise it was definitely some kind of weird stroke of luck that we had to go through it at both airports.

 

[barnum42]

When the airports ramped up the security precautions after Locherby I always seemed to get picked for additional security checks. It never bothered me and it never delayed a flight.

My guess is that I was male, single and smiling to be going on holiday. I guess if I looked worried and suspicious I would match everyone else.

And I am as white as they come.

 

[mkt]

I was traveling with my cousin - two black females, ages 26 and 28. We both had ID, but it was SORT of like a walk up ticket I think because we had to change our flight because we missed the 1st one. So we had a 5:30 flight but we didnt get there until about 5:05, so they basically said we were too late, so we changed to the 7:05 flight at the last minute...so maybe that had something to do with it...We had checked bags and DEFINITELY DID NOT pack lightly :lookaroun It was a round trip ticket too...

a lot of times, last minute changes will result in the computer viewing it as a walkup/last minute fare, which is the main cause of SSSS. My trick for that is ask to change seats... a lot of times, the new boarding pass won't show the SSSS.

We did have the "SSSS" so what does that mean anyway??

I'm not 100% sure, but I am thinking it means "Secondary Security Screening Selectee." It can either be printed on the boarding pass, or written. I've actually written it in myself in black sharpie if I am running late to a flight Usually the secondary line moves a lot quicker than the regular one... albeit, everyone stares at you like a criminal

I always where flip flops so I don't have to take off my shoes...

you wouldn't have to anyway If my shoes set off the WTMD, I still refuse to take them off. It's my right to keep them on. I will tell them to swab my shoes, at which point they do, and I'm on my way... with a comment card on hand.

The TSA needs to be stopped.

 

[ctwhalerman]

The TSA needs to be stopped.

lol

In August I flew JFK to Buffalo, and got to go through all that great stuff. Even better, I had just taken a train, a subway, and the Airtrain, and I was completely trashed and desheveled looking, so it just made my day even better. But, hey, if the screeners are picking white Irish guys to search, at least we know they aren't all pervs only searching teenage girls...

 

[frankd1962]

I flew from Logan to Columbus, Ohio after 9/11 and I got "picked" in both directions.
One, I'm male.
Two, I had just shaved off a beard that morning (going to meet my girlfriend at the time and spend a week).
Three, look nervous (yea, first time seeing her in person).
Four, I'm male.

So I got it done at Logan which was no problem but on the return flight I had to switch airlines because the pilots for my flight were not there yet!!!!! (Hello? Don't they get a schedule for when they have flights? And do I want one that has been up all night to finish up their run on my flight?) So I moved over to the American Airlines counter (which is who the airlines booked me on for an earlier flight) and they proceeded to check me in. They gave me a look then slide my bag down the counter to a inspection place right in the lobby. Now my old airlines swabed it and said all was fine but no pilots. These guys get all offical on me and ask me to open in. Near the end of the trip I didn't do laundry before leaving and I'll take large ziplocs to placed dirty briefs in so it doesn't smell up the rest of my luggage. Well, Mr. Security sees this ziploc and lifts it up for all to see and asks "What's this?". Told him "Dirty undies". He gave me a look and proceeded to open it and rummage around in the bag of my sweaty undies!!! Musses up the rest of the suitcase (which was neatly packed) and then say we're done. He leaves it open but tags it. I look at him and asked, "Aren't you going to at least attempt to fix it before we close and lock it because you made it uncloseable now." "Not my problem." and proceeds to jam it close with the dirty undies on top. My bag is now bulging and if I took it on as a carry-on it would not fit in the overhead because Mr. Security messed up my packing. So he tags it and sends in through to be placed in the luggage hold. Told him I was going to carry it on. He looked and me and said "Nope". :hammer: So I'm luggage-less and all my stuff to keep me entertain is in that piece of luggage. I make a stop at the gift shop to get some thing. Get to the gate went for boarding. Thirty minutes before boarding the lady announces "we'll be doing random inspections. Come ove here if I call your seat number." Guess who's seat got called? :wave: So off came the shoes (got sweet revenge because certain shoes I wear will give me bad foot ordor and I had them on that day.) and they wanded me. I was lucky in one way because the one who wanded me was a pretty thing. So they let me on the plane and I get back home with no problems. I haven't flown since. The girl broke up with me a few months later so I've never had to go through that again.

I know when you read that it sounds like something Bill Engvall would have had happen to him but it is all true and it happened to me. So before I got to WDW next year I'm making sure I get no sun so I'm lilly white head to toe, will be shaved well before the trip and make sure that I have all clean stuff in my bag before coming home.

 

[disneydude2000]

Normally they follow a very simple method of detecting whether a secondary search is needed by using this guide:
Young Single Male
Aged between 16-40
travelling alone with very few baggage or just hand baggage
arriving late
looking nervous
(provided by the UK Department of Transport)

 

[DW1]

When traveling with my family my 3 year old son got randomly pulled out of line. I asked "you gotta be kidding me" they apologized but did a full check anyways, even made him take off his shoes. :veryconfu

 

[Agent1964fem]

My husband works for the airline . Yeah you guessed in he was searched and he works for the airline!

 

[Nansafan]

Only a few months after 9/11 I was traveling with husband and another couple out of Midway Airport (Chicago) traveling to Las Vegas. This was before the official TSA got started. Boarding in Chicago at SWA the SWA people at the gate were again checking tickets and ID. Husband and other couple boarded and I was pulled out to be searched. I received a bunch of funny looks when I finally was allowed on the plane especially since this was done at the gate and all these people were watching me be searched while they were boarding the plane.

 

[Monty]

Our February 2002 trip to WDW, my ex was going through passenger screening at MCO. She wore a cardigan through the metal detector with loose change in the pocket. Needless to say, she tripped the detector. The screener asked her if she had any loose change, made her put it in a tray and re-enter the detector. It pinged again... They made her take off her cardigan, shoes, belt and jewelry and go through again. She started complaining loudly "How could you think I'm a terrorist!". At which point I really wanted to slap her [I didn't, DS was there] and explain to her that when there are young, nervous soldiers with machine guns standing around the area, you don't make a fuss and you cooperate fully!

Amazingly, I still paid her way for two more "family" vacations to Disney [we've been separated since '97] after that! :hammer:

 

[WDWKat26]

I'm 21, the whitest white girl you'll ever meet and I was chosed for a random security check at JFK like a year ago Don't take it personally.

 

[BRER STITCH]

....um.....never mind....wrong thread.....nothing to see here......

YIKES!

 

[jozzmenia]

I'm 21, the whitest white girl you'll ever meet and I was chosed for a random security check at JFK like a year ago Don't take it personally.

I didnt take it personally myself. I just wondered why they did that (and how to possibly avoid it in the future). Their demeanor actually made me a little nervous. It's no fun feeling like a criminal. :lookaroun

 

[MouseearsDeb]

I didnt take it personally myself. I just wondered why they did that (and how to possibly avoid it in the future). Their demeanor actually made me a little nervous. It's no fun feeling like a criminal. :lookaroun

It's kinda like when you check out at your local giant retail store and the cashier doesn't de-activate the security tag on one of your items. Then, when you go to leave, past the nice, generally retired, older lady, greeter, the security machine catches the unscanned tag and there goes all those nice pretty lights and whistles!!! Boy do you get some looks then! And then here goes the nice greeter searching through your new bought items trying to find the culprit!

Last year when we went to WDW, once we got to our villa and started unpacking, we found these little notes stating that they had been searched. Stuff like that makes me want to stick naughty things in the luggage! :lookaroun JK I'd be too embarrassed. My luck would have the security guy holding it up for all to see, like the dirty underwear guy from earlier.

 

[Erika]

My husband was picked after telling me on the way to the airport what a joke security is. It was fun for me. I got to point at him and laugh.