80% hit by the airport "random selection"

Nope, paid via CC, in and out of continental US, no other side trips.
Just an odd random occurrence, I guess.
Heading there again in 2024, we'll see what happens:)
 
I do recall once being extra searched in Kansas. I had coins in my bag as I'd always dump them in my bag to walk through the metal detector, and I didn't take them out. So they accumulated..

That plus some golf balls, meant I got the explosive wipe done.

After that I took all the coins out of my bag :)
 
Mark2024 said:
I have TSA precheck. However, I have been hit by the so call "random" select 8 out of last ten times. This last time I was behind a guy who was randomly selected. I was thinking, "there is no way it could happen twice in a row". But it did happen - randomly selected again.

For me, a 80% hit is not anyway random. Why me?

Have you been "randomly" selected at airport security?
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Just once.

then again, I've only flown under tsa pre 4 or 5 times, so the average is pretty high.
 
Not exactly random but I get my bag pulled aside for inspection about 50%. I have a powder medication I have to take every day. On a 5 week trip that might be 16 oz or so. I double bag it with the prescription included. the first time I got pulled aside I had protected it by putting it in my shoe at the bottom of my bag. I had to pull it out...glad I had packing cubes. I was chatting with the agent trying my hardest not to say are you testing for BOMB material!!!! After that I started putting it in my backpack & pull it out into the bin. Sometimes they will swab it. The more advanced machines where you leave everything in don't say a word.
 
Aerides said:
Ok that's not the real "random selection" because that happens differently. Something in your travel clothing perhaps? A zipper, grommets, something you would not think of (not you, but some women's undergarments can set things off).
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Unlikely. IME, those machines give a different signal when randomly selected and the agent almost always tells you it was random. Otherwise on a metal detector hit they ask if you have your cell phone on you, change in your pocket, etc. and usually send you back through.

I've done maybe 15 flights in the past year and only had a random hit at the metal detector once.
 
Surewhitey said:
After 911, I started getting an orange highlighter check drawn on my boarding pass. I was constantly extra checked and finally asked why. They said the check is a sign of my last name (very German) being on a "list" somewhere & the orange check was their code for that.

It went on for a while, then stopped...
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Cuz Germans were our focus after 9/11 right? It probably stopped after the few years it took the bureaucracy to figure out "bin laden" is not German.

Although, in their defense, "Ich bin laden" means "I'm loading" in German which is a perfectly reasonable thing for an airline passenger to say, right?
 
I have not flown since 2019. The junk you're all reporting here is the reason. I was selected once that I can recall, before LEAVING, departing. I forget to where. I forget if it was domestic or int'l. I resent the entire process. And then they make a commodity out of something we should already all be getting: polite, prompt, efficient service. Inspector Clouseau would say: "Merde."
 
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When leaving israel the inspectors zoomed i on my laptop screws - Yesi had been in there to replace hard drive with an SSD.. but a laptop that seemed to have been opened was their trigger for an extensive process.
 
I have been selected once or twice. So has my spouse.

We travel a fair amount. We certainly notice the difference between and within countries. Noticeable difference when there appears to be a security is a security alert. We experienced a security alert twice going through/changing terminal at London Heathrow. Slowed everything down, people were missing their connections.

We had a metal nail file that slipped through the lining of a carry on bag. That bag went through security with no issue multiple times in Canada, US, various Europe and SE Asia countries. Probably 20-30 times, perhaps more.

Who caught it? Security first time though Hanoi Airport. They did a very careful hand search of the bag after the Xray. We thought we might miss our flight!

In some instances I fear that the security is more for show or to catch the glaringly obvious than it is for effectiveness.
 
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SecondAttempt said:
Cuz Germans were our focus after 9/11 right? It probably stopped after the few years it took the bureaucracy to figure out "bin laden" is not German.

Although, in their defense, "Ich bin laden" means "I'm loading" in German which is a perfectly reasonable thing for an airline passenger to say, right?
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And, if you ever see your friend "John" in line, don't yell "Hi Jack!"
 
When we were traveling back/forth to London a lot the frequency of getting snagged by the dreaded "SSSS" went up. I suspect the frequency made them wonder if we were moving illegal goods/cash.

After one particularly appalling search where they took literally every single thing out of my backpack (including pens), left them in a messy pile on the table, and then told me to put it all back together, we adopted a strategy of having "SSSS" person take whatever bag had the last stuff and claim it was their bag.
 
It could be how you act when you are in line. Years ago while traveling with my young adult son I told him when in the TSA line to not look at any agents in the eye, to act like he travels all of the time, act bored and rushed. Of course, he looks all around him, acts nervous and unsure. Of course, he got pulled out and searched.
 
I flew a couple of times to our snowbird place with no checked baggage or carry on. Just had my wallet, phone, and keys in the bin through the security detector. I think this got me a pat down.
 
I don't think its random at all. Years ago I had a full beard I 'd get pulled aside every single time I flew, without fail. Many times they'd bring me to a room and go through my carryon thoroughly with a full pat down. My DW said they think you're a terrorist! Ever since I shaved my beard and mustache I haven't been selected again.
My DW did get randomly selected only one time when flying over the last 30 years.
 
NewEnglander said:
I don't think its random at all. Years ago I had a full beard I 'd get pulled aside every single time I flew, without fail. Many times they'd bring me to a room and go through my carryon thoroughly with a full pat down. My DW said they think you're a terrorist! Ever since I shaved my beard and mustache I haven't been selected again.
My DW did get randomly selected only one time when flying over the last 30 years.
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Again, we are talking about different thing here. When one passes the metal detector at the airport, the detector will make one sound to alert there is metal on the person. The other one special sound means "random selection". I don't think the random selection is triggered by a TSA person looking at the everyone.

I do travel for business and always clean with a nice suit on.
 
Ger0n1mo said:
It could be how you act when you are in line. Years ago while traveling with my young adult son I told him when in the TSA line to not look at any agents in the eye, to act like he travels all of the time, act bored and rushed. Of course, he looks all around him, acts nervous and unsure. Of course, he got pulled out and searched.
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The same thing happens to my sister. Her and her husband used to take day trips to the US from Canada and would get pulled out for questioning or a vehicle search 80% of the time. It's because she gets nervous at the border even though they are doing nothing wrong.

Meanwhile I've crossed at least 40 times and have only had my vehicle searched once.
 
Closet_Gamer said:
When we were traveling back/forth to London a lot the frequency of getting snagged by the dreaded "SSSS" went up. I suspect the frequency made them wonder if we were moving illegal goods/cash.

After one particularly appalling search where they took literally every single thing out of my backpack (including pens), left them in a messy pile on the table, and then told me to put it all back together, we adopted a strategy of having "SSSS" person take whatever bag had the last stuff and claim it was their bag.
Click to expand...

What is "SSSS"?
 
Thanks. I think a strategy like C_G's where it sounds like they may not claim the same bag as they put down on the conveyor is risky. If they notice a swap, you both may be in for a very long search. I wouldn't assume they didn't notice just because they ask which bag is yours.
 
I got "randomly" (I assume) chosen and they "swabbed" every single thing in my carry on. It must have taken half an hour. Absolutely no hurry on TSA part. Just "routine" I guess. No idea how I was chosen as the metal detector did not sound. I'm an old fat guy who looks about as scary as Sebastian Cabot. YMMV
 
You may need a Redress number. You probably have the same name as someone the no fly list.
 
I just plan on a full search. Handicapped in a wheelchair with two hips and a knee replaced. One mistake was putting "nitro" pills in the carry on. Swabbed positive for explosives - resulted in a major search.
 
Ronstar said:
I went through a random laptop check several years ago. Turned out to test positive for explosive residue. TSA questioned me. One question was if anyone using the laptop had hand lotion on. Could have been my assistant. They wiped it clean, ran the test again, and it was ok. They said that hand lotion would sometimes give a false positive.
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AHA! That explains why my wife's laptop is always getting pulled out for a special check! She's the hand lotion queen! :facepalm:
 
Yuck. Been there.

When the nice TSA person checks your ID and marks the boarding pass, does the mark look something like "S" or "SSSS"? That means that you are very special today!

OK, it actually means that you are subject to additional screening, in the TSA area and possibly again at the gate. (Fun times. "Please step aside." Then a TSA person shows up on one of those airport cards, lifts out and sets up a folding table, and does the whole TSA inspection drill by the gate, right down to "belts and shoes off, please.")

They appear to run an algorithm that looks at peoples background and if it finds an association (same employer; lives next door... who knows?) with someone on a watchlist, TSA records for you are flagged. They did stop after several years, fortunately.
 
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