Why additional TSA security checks for stand-by airline staff ?
 

working for an airline I got used to fly on stand-by basis as "non revenue" passenger all over the world.

When flying domestic within USA we always receive at check-in our boading passes without any seat assignment, as usual, and with the lowest priority marked as SSSS, in the hope to get our seats later at the gate.

We then proceed through the security check and ALWAYS the TSA agents, seeing the SSSS marked on our boarding passes invite us to be additionally checked on our body,inside all our handluggage, and each single item is deeply inspected with the support of specific instruments.

I still wonder which might be the relationship between the airline staff stand-by status and the need of additional security check !!

Are we airline staff the most probable source of unsecurity ?

I asked this to one TSA agent and his answer was: "I do not know why, but this is the rule" !

Because you are out of the normal - you haven't acted like a "normal" passenger, just like someone who hauls up at the last minute and buys a one way ticket

Fabio: &quot;<i>with the lowest priority marked as SSSS</i>&quot; SSSS has nothing to do w/ your &quot;priority&quot;. It is the flag that indicates secondary security screening is <u>required</u>. The TSA screening agents aren't picking on you - that is what they must do.

It normally will be printed on random boarding passes - but is also printed in situations like you describe.

alanRow

I travel with my wife and 2 kids, like any other family. The only difference is the kind of ticket, but, once again, why a last minute traveller with a one way ticket should be considered as a potential risk or, even worst, a higher risk for the security of the flight than a regular traveller. It would be nice to know when the 9/11 terrorists booked and paid for their flights. For sure they were not stand-by !!
I would then say that airline staff at the airport is everything but out of the normal !!??!! Airports are part of our daily life, our &quot;second home&quot; !!

janisj

thanks for the info !! I did not notice any flag on the boarding passes or maybe I did not pay attention to it, but I will check better next time !
However our second screening was never by random but simply on EVERY domestic flight !

I had thought that SSSS showed our low priority because the check-in agent had told us that we had priority 4 in the waitinglist.

Generally, when I fly another airline as a nonrev or change my reservation on my own airline at the last minute(pleasure travel not commuting to work) I am secondary screened.
People like the idiot who worked for Comair briefly who tried to bring guns on to San Juan and another idiot who was packing a gun(believe it was Air Tran?) are some of the reasons that you will be screened.
Yes, our fingerprints and security info are on file with Homeland Security but if you are also flying with family members this is also a trigger for secondary screening.

Its been more than a few years, but I seem to recall that when they looked at the behaviour of the actual terrorists, they found that all had bought one-way tickets at the last moment, and thus those behaviours were put on the list of items that will result in the highest level of inspection.

The SSSS on the boarding pass just tells the TSA screeners to apply that level of screening. Some people get the SSSS randomly, but others, who meet the requirements on the list, should get the SSSS every time. You might try erasing some of the S's.

clevelandbrown

it looks correct !! the TSA agent told me that he was going to extra screen us because of the SSSS on the boarding passes. As the SSSS were always on our boarding passes on all our domestic flights we were always screened twice. I can assume that, as dutyfree says, airline staff were put on that list due to some specific events which occurred sometimes.. !!

Thanks to all for your explainations !

I got the below answer from TSA !!!
I think it is clear enough for my concerns. Airline staff is probably included in that CAPPS system.. !

&quot;Thank you for your inquiry regarding the delays you have encountered when returning to the United States from international travel.



TSA applies a variety of security measures in screening passengers and their property prior to boarding a flight. In some instances, this includes enhanced screening of passengers and their carry-on baggage, which may be triggered by a number of factors. For instance, TSA may apply additional screening to a passenger in order to resolve an alarm of the walk through metal detector.



TSA also applies enhanced screening to individuals selected by TSA's Computerized Passenger Pre-screening System (CAPPS), which identifies passengers for additional screening based on factors reflected in their reservation information, or on a random basis. The &quot;S&quot; or notations may have been placed on your boarding pass by the airlines based on TSA security procedures for implementation of CAPPS.



The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has developed the Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (TRIP) to assist individuals who believe they have been incorrectly delayed, denied boarding, identified for additional screening, or have experienced difficulties when seeking entry into the United States.



Travelers may outline their concerns in a single request to DHS TRIP via the Internet. The information received will be shared with applicable DHS component agencies, such as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, as well as with the U.S. Department of State and, when appropriate, with airport and airline operators. Information will be shared in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. § 552a), and as established in the Privacy Impact Assessment published for DHS TRIP.



To participate in the program, please submit a completed Traveler Inquiry Form and requested copies of identity documents to DHS TRIP at www.dhs.gov/trip or by completing the enclosed form. DHS will review the information submitted and work with other Federal agencies, if necessary, to resolve individual concerns. DHS TRIP will inform you in writing when review of your inquiry is complete.



When you submit an online inquiry, a control number will be assigned to you. The control number will be displayed on the Traveler Inquiry Form acknowledgement page along with your name. Please print the acknowledgement page, sign it, and send it to DHS TRIP along with the requested copies of identity documents. If completing the attached form, please sign it and send it to DHS TRIP along with the requested copies of identity documents. Please do not send original identity documents as they will not be returned.



To send your completed documentation to DHS TRIP, you may e-mail it to [email protected], fax it to (866) 672-8640 or (571) 227-1925, or mail it to the following address:



DHS Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (TRIP)

c/o Transportation Security Administration

601 South 12th Street, TSA-901

Arlington, VA 22202-4220



To check the status of your inquiry, go to https://trip.dhs.gov/status and enter your control number. If you do not have a control number and wish check the status of your inquiry, contact DHS TRIP by e-mail, fax, or the address above.





TSA Contact Center &quot;