July 20, 2005
SSSS
After making a last minute reservation online for tickets from Austin to Houston on American Airlines we were going through security when some TSA guy announced that we had been chosen by the airline for extra security checks. He showed us the SSSS at the bottom of our tickets.
They gave us yellow cards, told us to go to the front of the line and hand them in. We went through metal detectors as normal, but then we got to sit down while they scanned us with the little wand thing. My wife had to take off her sneakers but my sneakers were fine.
Then they patted down our torsos (a man did me and a woman did my wife) and inspected our carry on bags by hand after they had been x-rayed. The whole thing took about 5 minutes.
When it was over one guy asked me if I had any idea why American Airlines had selected us. I wasn't sure but I said it might have been because of the last minute reservations. The TSA guy agreed, saying that was one of their conditions for extra security checks.
Oh and for more American Airlines and Texas stories, keep reading. Over the next few days I'll be telling a few more...
Posted by James Trotta at July 20, 2005 1:52 PM
My family was also given extra security checks on our flight from Fairbanks to Anchorage, Alaska, which we had also planned at the very last minute last summer. I really had no idea why they did it (and, I must admit, I was a bit offended at first), but this makes perfect sense! Thank you!
Posted by: mb at July 20, 2005 11:49 PMAirlines will typically go through this procedure if you are flying one way as well.
Posted by: CM at July 21, 2005 4:56 AMI work for the airline. The SSSS code is a code given to flag you for security. Has nothing to do with race, religion, etc... the computer is set up to flag one-way reservations, last minute reservations booked online, paid with cash, etc.. just a flag threw the computer system. nothing directly towards you... after september 11th all security is a good thing..
Posted by: sidney at July 21, 2005 12:06 PMI really hate how the world is these days.
Travelling used to be such a pleasure and now it is ridiculous.
I'm not talking about the business traveller or the 1 week a year vacationer. I'm talking about the real travelers out there.
Politics has accomplished all of this caos and terroism. Everyone trying to see who can pad their pockets more, who can get a better deal here, blah, blah, blah..
You have ruined it for all of us and especially the kids coming up.
Grown ups Suck!
I have flown about 15 times since Sept. 11, and every single time I have had the SSSS on my tickets. I usually book in advance, pay with credit cards, and do online and phone reservations. I think it's funny that I'm always getting searched. A couple of times it's been the same TSA worker in Phoenix doing my "screening", and they're finding it amusing too! If this is what I have to go through for a safe flight, then it's fine with me! I fly to Phx again in August, so we'll see if I'll be searched again!!
Posted by: gina at July 23, 2005 7:51 AMFor those that fly, just remember what it feels like on a free falling ride, at least that is something you can walk away from. Then if you have any complaints about the security checks then take the train.
Posted by: Keesee at July 23, 2005 2:35 PMDoes anyone stop to think for a moment when they decide on code letters like SSSS? This was a very inappropriate choice of letters. The elite secuity service in Nazi Germany was known as the "SS" (an abbreviation for Schutzstaffel). Anyone who is knowledgable about World War II should know that. I hope that this is just an unfortunate coincidence and not a sick joke, or something worse!
Posted by: Wes at June 14, 2006 11:57 PM