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

[DznyGrlSD]

I got 'randomly' searched at my local airport. Which has 6 gates....for NOT taking off my shoes....They told me to take them off...and I asked them "do I really have to?" and they replied "No" BUT...as soon as I went through the metal detector (which I did not set off) they pulled me aside and searched me :fork::fork::fork::fork:

 

[jozzmenia]

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.

I live in Michigan, about an hour from Detroit, and you can pass right over to Windsor, Ontario (Canada) easily from there. So one day we were coming back over the border and were "randomly selected" for a vehicle search. Well I had changed clothes in the car, and for whatever reason had a rather racy lace bra sitting on the floor, but didn't have time to put it away before they quickly escorted us from the vehicle, and I good see them pick it up and look at it from the waiting area. Not that bad, but I was embarassed nonetheless.

 

[mkt]

My husband was picked after telling me on the way to the airport what a joke security is.

The joke isn't the security (or lack thereof), but rather the government agency charged with overseeing it :brick:

 

[mkt]

I got 'randomly' searched at my local airport. Which has 6 gates....for NOT taking off my shoes....They told me to take them off...and I asked them "do I really have to?" and they replied "No" BUT...as soon as I went through the metal detector (which I did not set off) they pulled me aside and searched me :fork::fork::fork::fork:

You should have gotten the TSO's name/badge number and a comment card. Behavior like that from TSA foot fetishists needs to stop :fork:

 

[bouncingfigment]

I don't know what it is with me, but I frequently get selected for searches. Which is kinda odd, because:

-I'm a polite, well-spoken teenager
-I'm female
-I was born and raised in the United States, as were both of my parents.
-I'm of Irish/German/Italian/Polish descent.
-I don't travel outside of the United States.

I guess I'm just one of those lucky ones!

 

[barnum42]

I don't know what it is with me, but I frequently get selected for searches. Which is kinda odd, because:

-I'm a polite, well-spoken teenager
-I'm female
-I was born and raised in the United States, as were both of my parents.
-I'm of Irish/German/Italian/Polish descent.
-I don't travel outside of the United States.

I guess I'm just one of those lucky ones!

The Irish have a bit of a recent history of blowing things up - that could be it. I'm part Irish, which could explain why they kept choosing me.

 

[barnum42]

As for shoes - just about every flight I've been on now, all shoes come off and go through the x-ray machine along with hand baggage and coats. I don't see what the big deal is about not taking shoes off.

 

[TAC]

The joke isn't the security (or lack thereof), but rather the government agency charged with overseeing it :brick:

Or the idea that they are "projecting" tight security. Does anyone really believe that getting on a plane is more secure now than on 9/10/01 ? And on the few years after, not allowing crocheting needles, fingernail clippers, and other common items is laughable.

Does anyone think that if a "terrorist" or hijacker made it onto an airplane and announced that the plane is being taken over, that half the passengers wouldn't go after the guy(s)? And the other half of the passengers just wouldn't be able to get out of their seats fast enough, and would then be behind the first pile.

 

[Erika]

Or the idea that they are "projecting" tight security. Does anyone really believe that getting on a plane is more secure now than on 9/10/01 ? And on the few years after, not allowing crocheting needles, fingernail clippers, and other common items is laughable.

That stuff is laughable, I agree. But back in IL 2 of my coworkers had left their jobs as flight attendants to resume their jobs as hygienists, and they had some really interesting post-9/11 stories. There is a lot that goes on that we don't know about. Having said that...

Does anyone think that if a "terrorist" or hijacker made it onto an airplane and announced that the plane is being taken over, that half the passengers wouldn't go after the guy(s)? And the other half of the passengers just wouldn't be able to get out of their seats fast enough, and would then be behind the first pile.

I completely agree. There is no way they would allow it to happen. It wouldn't have happened the first time, had the passengers really known what was going on.

 

[ErickainPA]

Wish they would inform people to not take their shoes off. That is so annoying and wastes a lot of time. Jams the lines up because people have to put their shoes on RIGHT THERE, not move to the side. It's hard enoug trying to get through security than having people with their shoes and a million bags with them, just makes it worse.

My hubby use to take his shoes off if it was his boots. I told him one time, leave them on, you don't need to take them off anymore. He did and was allowed right through, so no more shoes come off. I said it was normally one type they kept having people take off anyway, so these people in their flip-flops or in dress shoes took them off for no reason. I never once had to take mine off.


Also wish they would enforce how many bags you can carry on. We flew just recently to see someone with 3 bags trying to come on the plane. Th overheads were full so 2 of his bags had to be checked anyway. Some people think they can bring a full size suitcase on, takes the whole overhead space and forces others to have to check. They should change it to just laptop, camera, diaper bags, small tote bags or such, not suit bags, extra large suitcases and such. Biggest pet peeve about flying anymore.

 

[TAC]

I completely agree. There is no way they would allow it to happen. It wouldn't have happened the first time, had the passengers really known what was going on.

Exactly. The problem was that we as a country were sucker-punched. From the early 1970's until before 9/11/01, if you boarded a plane out of JFK or many East Coast cities, headed for Miami, and were hijacked, the most that would happen is that you would be delayed and spend a few hours in Havana. That, unfortunately, was the mentality, and sadly that is why 9/11 succeeded (on board the planes anyway).

 

[TAC]

Wish they would inform people to not take their shoes off. That is so annoying and wastes a lot of time. Jams the lines up because people have to put their shoes on RIGHT THERE, not move to the side. It's hard enoug trying to get through security than having people with their shoes and a million bags with them, just makes it worse.

My hubby use to take his shoes off if it was his boots. I told him one time, leave them on, you don't need to take them off anymore. He did and was allowed right through, so no more shoes come off. I said it was normally one type they kept having people take off anyway, so these people in their flip-flops or in dress shoes took them off for no reason. I never once had to take mine off.

Also wish they would enforce how many bags you can carry on. We flew just recently to see someone with 3 bags trying to come on the plane. Th overheads were full so 2 of his bags had to be checked anyway. Some people think they can bring a full size suitcase on, takes the whole overhead space and forces others to have to check. They should change it to just laptop, camera, diaper bags, small tote bags or such, not suit bags, extra large suitcases and such. Biggest pet peeve about flying anymore.

They "suggest" that people take their shoes off. Yet, after the security checkpoints, there really is no place that they have set aside to allow you to put your shoes back on. Typical government thinking. :brick:

And in certain airports, if you don't comply with taking your shoes off, you are screened for extra security. Why? :brick:

I've wondered that as well, but in many airports, it can sometimes take forever to get your bags if you check them. First they need to vastly improve the time it takes from you getting off the plane to when your bags arrive at baggage claim. Once that happens, THEN strictly enforce the number of carry ons and the size of such carry ons. IMO, if it has wheels, CHECK IT!

 

[bouncingfigment]

The Irish have a bit of a recent history of blowing things up - that could be it. I'm part Irish, which could explain why they kept choosing me.

I had thought about that, actually. However, my family on my mother's side (the Irish/German side) has been in the U.S. since about the mid-1700s, so the government is really, really going back for any Irish connection.

Then again, it could be worse. My two friends' parents are Iranian immigrants. They're careful not to speak Farsi in the airport. Although they don't get pulled out of line anymore than I do.

Maybe I should stop asking the airport security if the crossbow in my carry-on will be an issue.

(No, I haven't really asked that. I've been tempted, but I haven't.)

 

[GenerationX]

I've had the additional security screening a couple of times, all when I was travelling alone on business. My wife, who has also made a couple of trips alone, has never been pulled out for additional screening.

I know there's some randomness to it because my eldest son had to go through it on our last trip back from WDW. A 9 year old boy wearing all sorts of WDW paraphernalia travelling with his parents and two younger brothers seems like a fairly low risk flyer to me. Luckily, the screening did not scare him.

My aunt, uncle, and cousins were all pulled out once for super screening a number of years ago. My smart aleck cousin, then 12 years old, turned to my uncle at the screening area and said "Where'd you put the gun?" Security did not find the remark amusing. I can only imagine what Security would do if that happened now.

 

[mkt]

They "suggest" that people take their shoes off.

I suggest to them that I am not taking them off

 

[jaylenofan86]

I suggest to them that I am not taking them off

I agree. I wear 3/4'' sole Adidas shoes and I've never had a problem with them. I NEVER take my shoes off, even if they ask me to, I remind them of SOP and THEN all the sudden they let me through! Wear shoes less than an inch sole and you'll have no problems. Knowledge is power.

 

[mkt]

I agree. I wear 3/4'' sole Adidas shoes and I've never had a problem with them. I NEVER take my shoes off, even if they ask me to, I remind them of SOP and THEN all the sudden they let me through! Wear shoes less than an inch sole and you'll have no problems. Knowledge is power.

except when you get the powertrippers... grr.

I'll call ya tonight

 

[barnum42]

I still don't see what the big deal is with taking shoes off?

 

[jozzmenia]

My hubby use to take his shoes off if it was his boots. I told him one time, leave them on, you don't need to take them off anymore. He did and was allowed right through, so no more shoes come off. I said it was normally one type they kept having people take off anyway, so these people in their flip-flops or in dress shoes took them off for no reason. I never once had to take mine off.

I did that once...it was when I first learned that u didn't have to take flip flops off. I had taken mine off and put them in the bin and they told me to put them back on because I didn't need to take them off... probably an extra 7 second delay...

Also wish they would enforce how many bags you can carry on. We flew just recently to see someone with 3 bags trying to come on the plane. Th overheads were full so 2 of his bags had to be checked anyway. Some people think they can bring a full size suitcase on, takes the whole overhead space and forces others to have to check. They should change it to just laptop, camera, diaper bags, small tote bags or such, not suit bags, extra large suitcases and such. Biggest pet peeve about flying anymore.

Guilty again. :lookaroun I'm not one of those people who takes regular luggages and pushes the boundaries of the term "carry on". I've never understood why people don't just check it (except for my boyfriend's mother who packs a TON then has 2 HUGE overweight suitcases to check and a HUGE carry on and a HUGE overflowing purse... :hammer What i DO do is end up with like 4 shopping bags because I did too much shopping on vacation and can't fit it all on my suitcase, which was already too full to begin with...:lol: On our last trip, I had a suitcase stuffed to the brim, and no room for my high heels or tennis shoes, no room for the 2 coolers we bought (little coolers that u can carry on your shoulder) no room for the 2 big juices that we bought but didn't want to throw away (that would be wasteful ) they were like the gallon size but we had drank only like 2 cups, not to mention the normal carryon bag and purse, magazines, blankets, etc. so I was scared they wouldn't let me on with a carry on bag, a purse, 2 plastic shopping bags, and a cinnabon :slurp:. I sat my purse on the carry on and put the blanket on top like it was one bag then got a bigger shopping bag at the store to put the juice and shoes in, then hung one cooler over my shoulder and checked the other one...it worked out, but on the tiny tiny tiny plane for the 2nd leg of our flight, not much room...and sadly, while I slept, the cooler tipped over and leaked strawberry margarita all over other folks' luggage in the over head bin...

that's my story for the day...

 

[jozzmenia]

I've wondered that as well, but in many airports, it can sometimes take forever to get your bags if you check them. First they need to vastly improve the time it takes from you getting off the plane to when your bags arrive at baggage claim. Once that happens, THEN strictly enforce the number of carry ons and the size of such carry ons. IMO, if it has wheels, CHECK IT!

I commented on that in my last post, wondering why people don't check their suitcase. When I think of carry on, i think of a bad with magazines, snacks, headphones, cards - i.e. things u need to access on the plane. I figured it was because people were impatient and didn't want to wait on their luggage. The thing is, I've NEVER seen the baggage claim take "forever". The longest I've waited from the time I got to the baggage claim area was 10 minutes (which is admittedly about the point that I start to grow impatient myself :brick: )
Well, there was the one time I went to Paris and everyone's bag came but mine and I waited and waited and no one came and said anything. After about 20 minutes I went searching for assistance and saw my suitcase sitting open and unattended outside an office (it had come open on the plane). So I just grabbed it, shut it, and left...
Anyway, the fact that people would rather stuff giant luggage on the plane than wait 10 minutes is a reflection of our impatient society I guess.