Why did the gate agent pick me to "randomly" search?
 

Well, she volunteered that info while going through my purse. It's because: I wasn't carrying luggage, and the purse would be easy to search and I looked friendly, a lot of people give her a hard time.<BR><BR>I think we still have some work to do on this security thing.

Yikes! So she picked someone who would make her job easier. Do we call that reverse profiling?

I am always "randomly" selected for search, I suspect, because of my appearance (I am a young non-Caucasian male). I have noticed that non-Caucasians are almost always singled out. I have also noticed, that possibly to compensate the appearance of racial profiling, petite, blonde women also have a high chance of being searched.<BR>While I don't really mind being singled out (every time), I would feel a lot more comfortable if the search was not carried out in full view of the public (who cast funny looks at the searchees).

All the times I've flown recently they were picking a set number of people (like every eighth one) to search. I also notice that a lot of the gates have little screens set up now too.

I'm 29 and blonde and I never get ransomly searched. While I am thankful to be spared that inconvenience, I hope that none of these terrorists are aware of this fact (pipedreams I know). They could send blonde, American,corn-fed,mid-western looking girls to their dirty jobs next time.

I remember that flying into the airport in El Salvador, you pushed a big button that would make a light go green or red at random. If it flashed red, you got searched.

Yes, the last time I flew they were picking out every sixth person, or some such, which is easy to figure out if you are observant. So you just get out of line and get back in (you have to tie your shoe or whatever). It shouldn't be so easy to avoid. My 9 year-old son got his backpack thoroughly searched because a toy looked suspicious on the xray, but they didn't search the rest of us. Hey, you never know what someone might have sneaked into his bag without him knowing. It's unfortunate it has to be random and that we don't have the technology to be sure that *every* person boarding a plane isn't carrying something they shouldn't be.

When we flew Delta to FL this summer my 2yr old son was randomly selected for security. His boarding card set off some kind of signal that he was to be searched. They actually took him aside, waved the wand around his arms & legs & took off his sneakers. We were chuckling, but I'm not sure how serious they were. :) I believe it was random, and not an individual decision.

We went to Venezuela in Feb. on American, we had 3 stops there and 2 on the return. I got seached 3 or 4 times (I"m 5'2, Blonde). My son's girl friend got searched every time. In St. Louis it was total harrasment by the security guy. She was the last one on the plane, that was held up because of this. She got onto the flight in tears cuz he was such a jerk to her( she is 5'8, dark hair, she's also a Model and very beautiful. I have no problem with security checks but some of these people need attitude classes.

My wife is a very attractive blonde. On our last trip from Chicago to Omaha she was searched 4 times. Twice by the baggage check and twice getting on the plane.<BR><BR>On my last trip from Chicago to Baltimore I was grabbed 4 times, but this is not surprising because I was travelling alone and with one way tickets (that'll do it every time!) The only problem I had was I was travelling on Southwest so pulling me out of line meant all of the window and aisle seats (southwest has no assigned seats) we're being taken while I was getting frisked.<BR><BR>

I'm as white as the day is long and I always get searched. <BR><BR>Don't give me that "I'm different" bs.

Danna: Maybe it really was just random and you were having an unlucky day.

Flying Southwest recently, I was disturbed to see that the people selected for a thorough search were always from the "C", or last place, boarding group. The benefit to them was that they could board as soon as they were searched, ahead of the other "C"'s and most "B"'s. They were very up-front about it: "Would you mind submitting to a search, ma'am? You'll get to board just as soon as we're done..." I can only hope this isn't an across-the-board Southwest policy, because it's absurd!

Hey - I'm an retired federal employee who is blonde, 58, blue-eyed, 5'4" and a Nana.<BR><BR>You tell me I got "randomly chosen" each time we approached a gate on our trip to Los Angeles and return. I had a return ticket, I was carrying some hand luggage, and I didn't look like I'd give anyone a hard time.<BR><BR>Ahhhhh, maybe that's why I was chosen!!

I'm a white guy. On my last trip I travelled<BR><BR>alone<BR>on a one way ticket<BR>with no checked baggage.<BR><BR>Yes I was searched. I was damn glad I didn't get shot!<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>

Everyone who even resembles an Arab should be searched. For those who look like Arabs but aren't, sorry but there is too much at stake to worry about bruised families. For those who are arabs, well just blame your martyr rbothers for your inconvenience.<BR>

I'm white, 69 years old. My wife is 57, white also. If there's any searching to be done, we're going to be the searchee. On a very recent trip to Canada, (2 weeks ago) we were searched in Memphis, Calgary and Vancouver. Please stop with the racial profiling!!

I don't think Southwest deliberately or consistenly searches people in the C group and then gives them extra privileges; that's not what happened when I flew with them in April, anyway. <BR><BR>In both directions (Providence to Palm Beach and back) they searched all the guys who were in line wearing baseball caps!! Plus two guys who had pushed/wriggled their way to the front of the "B" group and were being obnoxious. Sounds to me like attitude profiling! (All the guys were definitely white.)

I'm confused about this Southwest thing. Aren't the searches done at the security checkpoint for the terminal before you get to the gate and get your boarding number? So how would the people at security know which group you were in? Or is SW doing additional searches at the gate?

Southwest does additional searches at the gate. Usually as you're getting ready to, or just handed over your boarding pass. But I think all airlines do this.<BR>