SSSS on QF boarding pass (extra security screening)

[deejo77]

I determined it was my first name, after we figured it out I would go through security with ID and boarding pass only all other carry on was dumped to my traveling companions. I didn't have it the last time I was on the mainland so I am hopeful it has fallen off the system.

 

[PineappleSkip]

We were travelling frequently to the US from 2001-2007.the first was a month after 9/11.We would get SSSS on most of our BPs.I remember once at LGA I got patted down getting into the checkin area,got SSSS on BP so extra search at security and then pulled aside at the gate for an extra search.

Pretty much my experience the one time I was awarded an SSSS. In that case, I ticked off last minute change of flight, checking in late due to prior rental car drop off debacle, checking in to sit at the rear with my buddy who checked in on a separate itinerary to sit in J. No doubt this combination had the SSSS risk engine in overdrive . Luckily it only happened to me once. Mrs Pineapple, on the same itinerary as me, exhibited the same untrustworthy behaviour, but missed out on SSSS. Go figure.

How is this worked out? No doubt it's a SSSSecret. I think of it as a special SSSStatus awarded by the TSA, their version of WP. WP1 would be the watch list, which I do not aspire to.

Cheers skip

 

[2infinity]

Most concerning in your story 2infinity is the fact that passengers flagged as requiring extra screening had their luggage travel without them with no problem!

I don't think the SSSS is actually about making sure that flying is safer, I think it's about creating the perception it's safer. Unfortunately, instead of profiling who they target, they take the (stupid) political correctness way of pseudo selecting who to check. (What a silly world.....can't be seen to be picking on those that are likely to do naughty things on planes, lets just pretend it could be all sorts of others too). Sigh.....

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Pretty much my experience the one time I was awarded an SSSS. In that case, I ticked off last minute change of flight, checking in late due to prior rental car drop off debacle, checking in to sit at the rear with my buddy who checked in on a separate itinerary to sit in J.

No doubt this combination had the SSSS risk engine in overdrive . Luckily it only happened to me once. Mrs Pineapple, on the same itinerary as me, exhibited the same untrustworthy behaviour, but missed out on SSSS. Go figure.

How is this worked out? No doubt it's a SSSSecret. I think of it as a special SSSStatus awarded by the TSA, their version of WP. WP1 would be the watch list, which I do not aspire to.

Cheers skip

Does Mrs P do FIFO to KBL also?

 

[MTAB]

Some of it is definitely stereotyping or 'profiling ' as the US term it.

I used to work in Qatar (from 2003 to 2010) and did a lot of international travelling. During that period when I (a triple national -- UK, Canada and Australia) travelled alone or with Mrs MTAB I was never SSSS'd no matter where to or from. However when I travelled with my Qatari colleagues we were often all SSSS'd when going to the USA and they were always SSSS'd when going there (on occasions I escaped the SSSS net). For other destinations we all seemed to avoid the SSSS experience.

 

[PineappleSkip]

Does Mrs P do FIFO to KBL also?

I can hear Mrs Pineapple choking on her tea 10,000 miles away. She's done KBL once and considers her wifely duty fulfilled.

The excursion in question was a visit to CVG for a wedding, with the SSSS exercise a bonus (?) after the reception.

Cheers skip

 

[Duffa]

This might be relevant to the original poster....http://krebsonsecurity.com/2015/10/whats-in-a-boarding-pass-barcode-a-lot/

And would anyone upload their personal BP to the linked website on JB's post?
Not me!!

 

[ajd]

And would anyone upload their personal BP to the linked website on JB's post?
Not me!!

It's a standard PDF417 barcode, so if you don't trust the site, there are programs which can analyse the barcode offline (well, they *shouldn't* be uploading your data, anyway...),including the well-known Android Barcode Scanner app (if you enable PDF417 support in the settings).

 

[Josh69]

I've had both SSSS and TSA Precheck on different flights of the same itinerary, on the same airline, with the same ticket!!

 

[jb747]

And would anyone upload their personal BP to the linked website on JB's post?
Not me!!

No, but you might do it with someone else's pass....