Getting through the airport can be a frustrating experience. Ideally, we’d love to breeze through the security line to give us some time to peruse the fragrant duty free shops or enjoy a leisurely coffee, but there are lots of pinch points where you can get held up.
One sign that your trip through the airport might not go as smoothly as you’d like can be spotted once your boarding pass is printed out. Check-in staff will often add codes to your ticket alerting airport staff to look out for certain things, and there’s one code passengers really won’t want to see if they’re travelling to the World Cup.
Passengers flying to or from the United States may see SSSS on their boarding pass, which stands for Secondary Security Screening Selection or Secondary Security Screening Selectee. Essentially, this code means you’ve been selected for additional inspection, and this can be for a wide variety of reasons.
Some airlines won’t print SSSS, but may have their own way of signalling a passenger needs additional screening. For example, Southwest Airlines reportedly uses a chequerboard pattern which is printed on boarding passes.
Citizens of certain countries, such as those with sanctions or political struggles with the USA, may be more likely to see SSSS on their boarding pass. But the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is secretive about the exact criteria that could see your name flagged in this way.
The ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) has previously claimed that “TSA maintains a “Selectee List” (sometimes called the “Automatic Selectee List”) of people who are automatically and intentionally selected for enhanced screening every time they fly.”
But some other things that could see passengers flagged for extra screening include making one-way reservations and paying for tickets with cash. Travellers who’ve previously passed through high-risk countries, frequently visit ‘unusual’ destinations, or have other flight patterns that are flagged as concerning may also find themselves heading for extra screening.
Having a name similar to someone on a Department of Homeland Security watch list could be another reason you get stuck with extra security checks, and could even see you denied boarding. Passengers who frequently get flagged for additional screening can apply for the DHS Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP), and if successful they’ll get a Redress Control Number to use when booking flights, which should make their journey smoother.
If you do find SSSS or a similar code on your boarding pass, there’s no need to worry. Usually it just means you’ll need some extra time to get through security. Usually this means an enhanced pat-down, a hand-inspection of carry-on bags, and possibly the use of a hand held metal detector as you pass through the security lane.
Passengers should ensure they follow their airline’s guidance on when to arrive at the airport, as this will ensure they have time to pass through any extra security checks. In the USA, the TSA recommends arriving at least two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international departures.
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This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
