Boarding passes reveal who will be searched

[snopes]

comment: Some of my friends were talking
about boarding passes the other day, and someone pointed out that if your
boarding pass has four "S"'s in it, you are going to be given a more
thorough search at security.

We didn't believe it at first, but it started to make sense. It would
probably be generated randomly, so there's less of an issue of profiling
or bias, and while traveling with a big group, one person with an "SSSS"
on his boarding pass did, in fact, get separated and subjected to a more
thorough search.

I ended up doing some quick googling, and it appears to be true. But
doesn't this slightly defeat the purpose by giving the passenger advanced
notice? Couldn't a person carrying questionable items just pass it to a
companion without an "SSSS" boarding pass?

[Mad Jay]

Secondary Security Screening Selection

he system works by selecting passengers who meet certain criteria at the time their boarding pass is issued. According to sources, the following are some of the points observed to assign a passenger with SSSS:[citation needed]

There are some criteria that will always create a selectee, such as a one-way reservation, made within twenty-four hours. Some other criteria that sometimes generate a SSSS are:

* Passengers travelling alone.
* Passengers travelling as a group.
* Passengers travelling together who share certain characteristics such as their last name.
* Passengers who change their flight at the last minute.
* Passengers who pay cash for their tickets.
* Passengers who carry no luggage.
* Passengers whose identification is invalid.
* Passengers with Pakistani, Afghani, or any Middle Eastern national origin.

[Buckle Up]

There may be a code to mandate a search, but I seriously doubt that it would remain the same forever. It might change weekly or daily, or by airport, or by some other criteria. To have one permanent "search this one" code for the whole system seems completely assinine, even for the TSA.

ETA: Corrected by Mad Jay's post.

[Buckle Up]

* Passengers travelling alone.
* Passengers travelling as a group.
* Passengers travelling together who share certain characteristics such as their last name.

That sure rules out a lot of people!

All I know is that a few times, the ticket counter person put a mark on my boarding pass and when the gate person saw the mark, they mentioned that it means I would have further searches done. It was a hand made mark.

[Dr. Dave]

Originally Posted by Doug4.7

All I know is that a few times, the ticket counter person put a mark on my boarding pass and when the gate person saw the mark, they mentioned that it means I would have further searches done. It was a hand made mark.

Chloe? Christie? Have either of you taken second jobs as airline ticket desk attendants?

[Mad Jay]

Originally Posted by Buckle Up

That sure rules out a lot of people!

I think all of them are guesses, and there is no real documentation regarding what causes a person to be flagged with SSSS (as indicated by the citation required flag on wikipedia). what we do know is that TSA provides air carrier with a selectee list, and the air carrier flags passengers who match names in the selectee list along with some other unknown factors. People whose name match selectee list can expect to be screened each time they fly

From the TSA website

Question: I have been selected for secondary screening. Does that mean I am on a watch list?

Answer: No, not necessarily. There are several reasons why individuals may be selected for secondary screening. Random selection is a significant component of TSA security measures. Further, you may have been selected based on factors under CAPPS, may have set off an alarm at the checkpoint, or may have a name similar to a person on a watch list.

Question: What are the watch lists?

Answer: Historically, nine government agencies maintained watch lists with names of known or suspected terrorists and criminals. Two of these lists, the “No Fly” and “Selectee” lists were maintained by TSA. The “No Fly” list is a list of individuals who are prohibited from boarding an aircraft. The “Selectee” list is a list of individuals who must undergo additional security screening before being permitted to board an aircraft. After 9/11 the Terrorist Screening Center (TSC) was created through a Presidential Directive to be administered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Justice, in cooperation with the Departments of Homeland Security, Defense, State, and Treasury, as well as the Central Intelligence Agency. The purpose for the TSC is to consolidate terrorism based watch lists in one central database, the Terrorist Screening Center Database (TSDB), and make that data available for use in screening. Intelligence and law enforcement agencies nominate individuals to be put on the watch list based on established criteria, with the list maintained by the TSC. TSA’s “No-Fly” and “Selectee” lists are subsets of the TSDB and are maintained by the TSC.

Anecdote:- My cousin's husband who has spent a lot of years in Dubai gets flagged with SSSS every time he flies. My cousin who still uses her maiden name doesn't get flagged. Their daughters who share the last name with him are never flagged. They haven't figured out whether it's his name or sex or nationality or age that triggers the SSSS, but the poor guy has to go through the same rigamarole each and every time he checks in the airport.

[Chloe]

Originally Posted by Dr. Dave

Chloe? Christie? Have either of you taken second jobs as airline ticket desk attendants?

Ixnay on the oonlightingmay!

[blucanary]

I've been selected twice. Once I flew down to Raleigh to stay at my sisters and left from my mothers in Greensboro. The airports are about 30 miles apart, but it generated a one way ticket to Washington DC.

The second time my wallet was stolen the day before I left from Atlanta to travel back to DC. I had to board with no ID. So yeah I saw that one coming. I was just glad they let me on the plane.

[Kev]

I was a TSA screener from 2002-2003. When we first started and secondary screening for selectees was done at the gates before boarding, the way airlines designated selectees on boarding passes varied, I don't think all of them indicated it on the boarding pass. Since the screening was done at the gate before the flight boarded, the airline would just provide us a list and they would send the passengers over to us.

As the TSA got rid of gate screening and started doing the secondary screening at the main checkpoint, the screeners had to be able to identify who the selectees were themselves so they could perform the secondary screening at the checkpoint, this is when boarding passes started being required to go through security (before you could get through with a ticket or confirmation and get your boarding pass at the gate).

I remember when we first started doing secondary screening at the checkpoint the airlines were still designating selectees in different ways and it was a pain to look at all the different boarding passes and not miss the designation as some were not obvious. I started doing baggage shortly after that so I don't remember exactly, but I think they finally standardized the way selectees are designated and all airlines started putting SSSS, but I'm not sure about then and I certainly don't know about now.

[Hero_Mike]

I once had the special screening, and it was explained to me that I got it because I was flying one-way (SLC to Spokane), on an airline where I had no frequent flyer membership (Delta). Probably didn't help that I was Canadian and my ticket was bought by an out-of-the-US travel agent, but those were the two major points.

[Paveman]

In 2004 I was traveling on a one way ticket purchased within 24 hours of the flight. I recall having an S or some number of S's on the ticket that the counter attendant highlighted. (S was definitely the letter, though) I received an extra screening going through security. I think either the ticket being one way, or bought that day, or both generated the extra search.
What apparently didn't matter or prevent the extra search was that the government bought the ticket for me and I was traveling on military orders. So at least it seems consistent with what one would expect.
No big deal for me I just wanted to get to were I was going. So there's more anecdotal "evidence" for you.

[blucanary]

Oh I forgot to add that both times my pass had the SSSS on them and they ticket agent highlighted them and said it meant I'd be screened.

[Banrion]

Wow then my future MIL name must be similar to a watched suspect. The last 5 times they have flown over the course of 3 years, she has gotten secondary screening EVERY time. I wouldn't expect her to have a name reproduced very often since it is a very Asian first name with a very Irish last name.

[Kev]

Originally Posted by snopes

But
doesn't this slightly defeat the purpose by giving the passenger advanced
notice? Couldn't a person carrying questionable items just pass it to a
companion without an "SSSS" boarding pass?

I forgot to address this. First, it's not like people who aren't selectees aren't getting screened at all. Everyone goes through primary screening. All the SSSS means is that the passenger also has to go through secondary screening which means a handheld metal detector and limited pat down search and a physical bag search. However, an SSSS designation is not the only reason someone might have to go through secondary screening.

If you set off the walk-through metal detector you have to get a handheld inspection and if the x-ray operator sees something suspicious or unidentifiable in your bag your bag will be searched. So, there is no guarantee that a passenger without SSSS on their boarding pass won't also receive secondary screening for some other reason or that the primary screening alone won't find the "questionable item."

It's not supposed to be a surprise. There is no real disadvantage to the passenger knowing and the airline agents will sometimes tell the passenger ahead of time, especially when specific circumstances have caused it like when someone doesn't have an ID.

[snapdragonfly]

Originally Posted by Buckle Up

That sure rules out a lot of people!

Uh...wouldn't just "traveling alone" or "traveling in a group" be pretty much...

EVERYONE???

~ unless you considered traveling with one other person to not be a "group." How many people is a group? three? four?

[moonlight]

Originally Posted by snapdragonfly

Uh...wouldn't just "traveling alone" or "traveling in a group" be pretty much...

EVERYONE???

~ unless you considered traveling with one other person to not be a "group." How many people is a group? three? four?

Yeah, this leaves out those traveling as a pair. You know, like married couples. Who often share the same last name.

It was kind of annoying when DH and I got pulled asides for a "random" search, just as he was putting his police badge through security. And it wouldn't have even been that bad if they would have made the search worth while. DH and I are both certified to search prisoners because of our jobs and I could have had 20 weapons hidden on me that they never would have found.

This has been another edition of Security Theater.

[Simply Madeline]

At least 7 times in the last 12 weeks or so, I have purchased a ticket within 24 hours of the flight. A few of these were one-way tickets and several were multi-city, multi-airline itineraries. I have not been subjected to a secondary search in any of those instances.

I have, however, had my facial cleanser confiscated because it was 3.4 ounces, which is .4 ounces over the allowable limit.

[WildOtaku]

When I travelled back to California when my father died in 2005, I had to be screened. I'd bought my ticket 2 days before my flight on a last minute deal site. The agent advised that I was selected based on that. My flight was more than 24 hours out at the time of booking and it was round trip. It had the SSSS and I didn't mind one bit. The screener made the comment that I had a lot of animal hair on me. I told her that my cat was a shed factory (it was May, so yeah, she was shedding horribly). Other than that, it was smooth sailing the rest of the way.

And I didn't have to go through it when I came back home.

[my2pence]

DH, DD, DS, and I all had to go through the secondary screening. Our flight got cancelled due to poor weather, thus putting us on a flight less than 24 hours after we "bought" the tickets. The secondary search required them separating both dh and I from our 3yo and 1 yo so THEY could be screened.

I suppose there are people that would hide explosives in the baby's diaper, but come on! It wasn't like I wanted my flight to be cancelled. It seems there could be a better way of putting small children through security.