My fun Vegas work trip was bookended by not 1, but 2 trips to the "Additional Screening" area at both O'hare and McCarron Airports.
When I tried to give the Skycap my bag at O'hare he looked my flight up in the computer and told me I had to wait in line inside to check in. Odd. So inside I checked in without a problem. Then when I entered the security line the lady did a double take when she saw my ticket, circled an area and sent me to a special line. So I asked someone else in that line what was up with the line and he said, "this is the 1st class line." So I thought, "ok, Stevenator just got bumped up to 1st class!" Well, the guy who answered my question sailed right thru the security checkpoint. But when I exited the screening machine they pulled me aside and uttered the magic words, "Sir, you've been chosen to undergo additional screening. Please step over to the side."
They checked my carry-on briefcase, which only contained a book, ipod and Ax, then made me stand in a T and patted me down. The total delay was no more than 15 seconds and they were very friendly. Off I went to Vegas.
At McCarron Airport I gave the Skycap my one piece of luggage and he accepted it so I figured I was home free. McCarron is much newer and more modern than O'hare. My brother-in-law and I were separated at the beginning of the security checkpoint and it was there that I realized that it was happening again. This time I was in a line inside a very tall glass wall that made me feel claustraphobic. There was no escape. One at a time people would cross a line, put their valuables into a grey bucket, and walk into a chamber that would blow puffs of air at you.
After the air chamber I was taken to a table where a gentleman took small tissue like papers and rubbed them on the contents of my briefcase and put them in a machine and pressed a button. A minute later the machine would beep. I presume this machine was sniffing for explosive material. What if I accidently rubbed up against someone, one of thousands of people at the airport, who may have rubbed up against someone else, who may have come in contact w/some banned substance? How do I explain that?
Can you imagine if a mine worker in Virginia, for example, who works with Dynamite, goes on vacation to California. He takes a cab from the airport in LA to wherever. Someone gets in that cab and goes to the airport in LA and flies to Vegas where they decide to play Texas Hold 'Em at Ballys. Stevenator happens to sit down three seats from that person and two hours later picks up a pair of cowboys but just calls. He hits trips on the flop but checks. The person from LA raises $5 and Stevenator reraises $25, LA raises $20 and Stevenator puts in his last $21 to go all in and wins the hand (true story). But now Stevenator has traces of Dynamite (made-up story!) from some guy from Virginia he's never heard of and when he's at the airport for additional screening it's picked up.
I think this is a story for Radimus, b/c it's too much for me to think about. In a minute your life can go from Joe Average to Midnight Express, except I wasn't trying to smuggle anything.
Last edited by stevenator65; 02-03-06 at 03:17 PM.
Last time I flew (Aug '05, my boarding pass had a bunch of S's in the lower left corner (I think it was that corner). At the time, that was the code for additional screening.
Last time I flew (Aug '05, my boarding pass had a bunch of S's in the lower left corner (I think it was that corner). At the time, that was the code for additional screening.
There are two lists now: A No-Fly list and an Additional Screenings List. You can also be randomly selected for additional screening. I was flying fairly often as an officer of a Fortune 100 company. No advance check-in, no e-tickets, additional screenings, always having the note in the checked luggage. Even traveling companions who book at the same time are subject to this.
I now just go to the counter and tell them my name to help speed it up.
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I used to go to the UK a few times a year, and I would get hit at O'Hare coming home.
I think once because I separated from an associate (he had an international passport, so a different line to wait in). When asked if I was travelling alone, I mentioned being with an business associate, and started to mention why we were not together, but it was too late.
Two other times my luggage was rifled through while I watched (dirty underware an all) and then I was taken to a room where two guys came in (one to watch for their protection, and one to search me), they patted my down, having me leaning against the wall with my legs too far apart and my arm too far apart. I felt I would fall when he started patting me. Then they took the shoes I was wearing and x-rayed them.
I think the searches were mostly due to my long hair.
Akajohndoe, are you saying that your name is on the Additional Screenings list so you just give them your name to speed up your additional screening?
Although I am not the actual plaintiff, my name is the same as one of these, so rather than even trying to get my boarding pass myself I go to the counter with my ID and reservation number and jump-start what I know will happen anyway.
I know, with 30+ years in computing, that this process could be far better. And this is not the answer, either.
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I find what you've described fairly routine. Swab the notebook, asking me to turn on electronic devices to ensure that they're genuine. Pat down. The air puffer thing is very expensive and I haven't seen them too widely deployed, but the rest is all normal air travel stuff in my experience. I've only had to take my shoes off a couple of times as an "additional measure".
I actually get somewhat concerned when these things DON'T happen. That
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