SSSS on boarding pass

sba55

sba55

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sba55
In my ~80 flights this year, I haven't gotten a single SSSS. I remember getting SSSS somewhat frequently before.

Coming to think about it, I haven't gotten one (even with a 10 minute advance purchase, or cash at the airport) ever since I went through a FAA security clearance process in 2006.

Have they given up on this useless program? Is anyone else still seeing SSSS?
 
sba55 said:
In my ~80 flights this year, I haven't gotten a single SSSS. I remember getting SSSS somewhat frequently before.

Coming to think about it, I haven't gotten one (even with a 10 minute advance purchase, or cash at the airport) ever since I went through a FAA security clearance process in 2006.

Have they given up on this useless program? Is anyone else still seeing SSSS?
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I see them on some people's boarding passes. When I do I make sure I am not following them through the scanner. But I have not gotten one in a couple of years.
 
smigaldi said:
But I have not gotten one in a couple of years.
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I haven't either. The last time I got it was when I was traveling on a one-way ticket purchased at the last minute.
 
SSSS essentially went away with Secure Fright. You give up a lot of personal data every time you fly, you don't get SSSS. I suppose a limited number of folks get it now.... it's been replaced by "random" and "retalitory" procto inspections at the checkpoints.
 
I got one just under a year ago (Jan 2009) transiting Chicago from India. Actually nice...the "Gatekeeper" who checks the paperwork at the back of the line saw SSSS called a colleague who escorted me to a special area where they went through my stuff- went through the magnetometer, and got my stuff, went on my way. It was much faster than the normal line (no waiting).
 
Everskyward said:
I haven't either. The last time I got it was when I was traveling on a one-way ticket purchased at the last minute.
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That's how I bagged my last one -- last minute one-way (rebook on a different airline courtesy of thunderstorms in Chicago).

Cheers,

-Andrew
 
astanley said:
That's how I bagged my last one -- last minute one-way (rebook on a different airline courtesy of thunderstorms in Chicago).

Cheers,

-Andrew
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Oh right, now that you mention it - I remember getting one when UA re-booked me on American since UA's plane was broken. Of course, I was already past security :mad2:
 
sba55 said:
Oh right, now that you mention it - I remember getting one when UA re-booked me on American since UA's plane was broken. Of course, I was already past security :mad2:
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5:30 in the morning, the queue at the United side (I was an American flyer rebooked on United) was a mile long, and the TSA agent wasn't a charmer. Ugh, what a bad day.

Cheers,

-Andrew
 
I moved my plane to San Diego and flew back to Tacoma in the aluminum tube. My wife had made the reservations for me on Alaskan.

Somehow there was a mixup and I showed up Sunday Morning for a flight that left on Saturday. :frown3:

The ticket agent went ahead and put me on a flight honoring my ticket without any additional charge. He also put SSSS on my boarding pass.

I was most happy to let the TSA guy check my dirty skivvies for skid marks since I did get back to Tacoma without buying another ticket.

Cheers:

Paul
N1431A
2AZ1
www.indianhillsairpark.com
 
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sba55 said:
The ticket agents/airlines actually have no control over this at all. It's decided by gov't systems based on some criteria....
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In the old days, the ticket agent could flag you if they wanted to - the airlines maintained the list and could add folks to it. They also had the power to override under a very limited set of circumstanced (like an involuntary transfer from another airline where you weren't flagged).

That's all different under (In)Secure Fright.
 
wsuffa said:
That's all different under (In)Secure Fright.
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No kidding. Well, I don't understand this system anyways. Why not just book a ticket under someone else's name, change the boarding pass to go through security, and then fly on the original one? It seems so obvious. It doesn't make it more secure in any way, but how can they even pretend that it does given this amazingly obvious problem?
 
sba55 said:
No kidding. Well, I don't understand this system anyways. Why not just book a ticket under someone else's name, change the boarding pass to go through security, and then fly on the original one? It seems so obvious. It doesn't make it more secure in any way, but how can they even pretend that it does given this amazingly obvious problem?
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Because the Sheeple "feel" safer, and the government employees will have jobs.
 
Now that you mention it, it's been a while since I got the "Stand Still & Spread 'em, Sucker" note on my boarding pass too. Glad to see it's mostly gone away.
 
Everskyward said:
I haven't either. The last time I got it was when I was traveling on a one-way ticket purchased at the last minute.
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For me, it was a same day return international flight...was heading from Calgary to Houston for a job interview, and the schedules worked out that I could get up early in the morning, fly to Houston, and fly back that evening, so I had no bags or anything!
 
Never had one ever. They must be able to tell on sight that I'm a red-blooded American, unlike you terrorist slimo's.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Yeah right. :rolleyes: :(

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Again, if you're going to link XKCD, you've got to included the Alt-Text too. (the hover text)

"A laptop battery contains roughly the stored energy of a hand grenade, and if shorted it ... hey! You can't arrest me if I prove your rules inconsistent!"

--Carlos V.
 
I get it every time I fly... Buddy passes, full fares, whatever, I always get the dang SSSS on my boarding pass. It's almost a joke in my family now.
 
No "SSSS", but the two large bags of Snoqualmie Falls pancake & waffle mix in my luggage while going through the scanner at SeaTac on Sunday caused eyebrows by multiple agents!! I think they thought they'd found the mother lode of coke. :) The second person who walked up to the screen after the agent asked for another person to view it leaned in, did a double take at the screen, and said "you gotta be kiddin' me!" before she said "sir, I'm gonna need to check your bag". :)

Can't get Snoqualmie Falls pancake mix down here in Texas; we always bring a couple bags home with us on Seattle trips.
 
Speed said:
I get it every time I fly... Buddy passes, full fares, whatever, I always get the dang SSSS on my boarding pass. It's almost a joke in my family now.
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It was a joke for awhile at my last job- first 3 years I always got special treatment on every trip. I used to get in line 10 minutes before the rest of the team and they would often be waiting on me on the other side. I was told it was random. With random like that I should have bought lottery tickets.

Now- hardly ever except for the trip I mentioned in January.
 
smigaldi said:
Why? They'll ship it to you once you place an Internet order. Don't you get the mail delivered in Texas anymore? Y'all did not go and secede or something? :D:D
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I meant "can't get it in a store"; we've ordered a case online before, ran out. Just picked some up while we were up there.

My wife also picks up "Uno" bars. It's a chocolate bar made in California, isn't available in stores in Texas as far as we've been able to find.
 
TangoWhiskey said:
I meant "can't get it in a store"; we've ordered a case online before, ran out. Just picked some up while we were up there.

My wife also picks up "Uno" bars. It's a chocolate bar made in California, isn't available in stores in Texas as far as we've been able to find.
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My mom used to love Uno bars. I haven't seen one in years.
 
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