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I just returned from a trip to Puerto Rico. On the outgoing leg (JFK to SJU) on American Airlines a large group of passengers were subjected to an additional security check at the gate before being allowed on the plane. All carry on luggage was opened and inspected and passengers were told to remove outer garments and went through the wand procedure and were also patted down. I have been on a few flights since 9/11 and there have been spot checks of passengers at the gate but it was limited to only a few passengers. This additional security check involved a whole group of passengers. For boarding purposes AA now calls passengers for boarding by a group number as opposed to a seat number. Everyone in Group 2, at least one quarter of the passengers, were subjected to this additional screening procedure. Is this something only AA is doing or is it being done by other airlines as well? This did not happen on the return flight.
The lines at the screening machines at JFK numbered at least 50 people and it took around 25 minutes to clear the security check. At the San Juan airport the line had only a few people and it took only minutes to go through the screening.

Gretchen

Pretty thorough procedure at Denver this week-end. Have also been screened at the gate before boarding. Haven't travelled on American--this was USAIR.

mimi

Coming home from San Diego two weeks ago, a large group had a thorough search. They had a S stamped on their boarding passes and were told to step aside for additional searching. We noticed that most were young or foreign looking so we assumed that they had been profiled by the agent issuing passes.

Lois

I've flown with Delta and JetBlue since Sept. 11, and both airlines had passengers screened in this manner. Personally, I feel the extra security is comforting. If the airline has any doubts about a passenger, it gives them a chance to more fully screen them. I've also had my luggage more thoroughly scrutinized, and it's fine by me.

janis

Have flown Southwest in CA several times in the last few weeks. Each time there was an announcement that some passengers would be called aside at the gate for additional search. There were tables set up for this extra search at almost every gate. I did not observe obvious profiling - the folks I saw selected ran the gamut from backpacker types to a woman in a $1500 St Johns suit.