Ever wonder why your carry on gets searched

[ThatDogDontHunt]

At many airport counters flying to or from the US and Canada at least.

SSSS is the TSA secondary search code that is printed on the boarding pass - before you go through security.

In earlier years, I was getting a different random search code from Canadian airlines, and my friend pointed it out, one letter and 2 numbers. It might have been T53 or something similar.

Agreed.

My question was in response to divinh claiming that a "visual" decision was made by an airport agent to direct someone to extra screening. I am curious where this happens.

The normal random extra screening process used in North America is NOT based upon a visual inspection of the traveller. The decision is made before you ever arrive at the airport.

My travel arranger confirms the code is SSSS (not $$$$$) which stands for "Super Special Security Screening" - or maybe not?

 

[TMHeimer]

Uhm, not lately, or only if you fly via the US. Not required by CATSA for domestic travel. Footware removal is a US thing.

Airline passengers can keep their shoes on at security

Well, I've gone Halifax to Winnipeg via Toronto every Fall since 2005 (including Fall 2020) and can't recall any time they didn't tell me to take my boots off in Toronto. Not ever in Halifax or Winnipeg.

 

[ThatDogDontHunt]

Well, I've gone Halifax to Winnipeg via Toronto every Fall since 2005 (including Fall 2020) and can't recall any time they didn't tell me to take my boots off in Toronto. Not ever in Halifax or Winnipeg.

With the information you provided this makes no sense?

If you are connecting in Toronto you are already inside security. You are simply walking from one gate to another. No security involved. No one to show your socks to. What am I missing? Did you leave the airport while in Toronto?

Regardless, there is zero requirement in Canada to remove footware. Unless you beeped when you went through the security at your point of origin. They will first ask about a belt. Last resort they will ask you to remove your footware in case they may have steel in them.

I occasionally notice a person proactively taking their shoes off. I am not sure why?

 

[Doc Harry]

I used to fly with a canister light. The Pelican case was never inspected as a carry-on.

Once I decided to check my Pelican case instead of carrying the case onto the jet. The light head could be plugged into "dud" terminals so there was no way for the light to get activated. And, as you know, HID can lights take a few seconds to illuminate after being turned on.

When I got to my destination, I discovered that TSA had inspected by Pelican case. They even opened the battery pack and reinserted the head into the live terminals. And they may have even turned on the light.

Everything in my pelican case was melted. The light head was melted. The wires were melted. The foam padding in the case was melted. And the battery was dead.

 

[fisheater]

I forgot my dive knife in my carry on one time... I no longer have the knife. lmao

Once, I, too, forgot to remove my dive knife (and Trilobite line cutter) from my dive harness in my carry-on. Sure enough, TSA pulled my bag to open up. When I saw my knife et al, I felt a chill come up my spine. Nonetheless, I drew the TSA inspector's attention to my steel backplate and launched into an explanation of the advantages of BP/Ws over jacket-style BCDs. He quickly got bored of the discussion and sent me on my way.

 

[Jay Adams]

My buddy did that on our return trip from Hawaii. Checked bag had already been checked through. Security check found the knife in his carryon dive gear backpack. He walked from the airport to a post office that had to be at least a mile away (carrying his dive gear backpack) and mailed the knife to his home. He walked back to the airport, went through security, and got to our gate dripping sweat. He should have left the backpack with his wife but didn't think about it at that moment although he left his cell phone with her so we couldn't contact him (my wife and I had already walked away from the security check area and didn't know what was going on.) Personally, I would have donated mine to the airport.

The TSA agent told me had the knife been smaller they would have mailed it, however because I thought I needed a sword instead of a tool, mine ended up in the trash lol. even the TYA agent knew the knife was way too big smh

 

[TMHeimer]

With the information you provided this makes no sense?

If you are connecting in Toronto you are already inside security. You are simply walking from one gate to another. No security involved. No one to show your socks to. What am I missing? Did you leave the airport while in Toronto?

Regardless, there is zero requirement in Canada to remove footware. Unless you beeped when you went through the security at your point of origin. They will first ask about a belt. Last resort they will ask you to remove your footware in case they may have steel in them.

I occasionally notice a person proactively taking their shoes off. I am not sure why?

Sorry. I forgot to tell you that since I can't ever trust planes to be on time I always leave an absolute minimum of 2 hours layover in the Toronto airport. Usually 3. So I go outside the terminal to smoke my pipe, then go back through security to get to my flight . That's when the boots come off. I just ask to make sure and they say yes, boots off--as you say, they may think there is something metal in them.

 

[NorCalDM]

In 16 years of dive travel my carry on has been searched once. The TSA agent just asked where was I going diving once he saw my reg. Global Entry with TSA Pre-check helps speed up the process.

 

[divinh]

My question was in response to divinh claiming that a "visual" decision was made by an airport agent to direct someone to extra screening. I am curious where this happens.

It's an observation on my part... a quick squibble/slash by the documents check agent onto the boarding pass, no extra check. Something written, and then directed to a line for extra screening. Extra screening could just be backscatter body scanner versus just metal detector. And anyone in backscatter line could be pulled for more screening. If something did show on x-ray, more thorough search for sure.

As to appear not profiling, every X person is sent to backscatter line.

With digital boarding passes, no boarding pass mark up, just sent to other line.

 

[Gachnar]

My carry on has strobes, camera, ports, lenses, regulators, computer, housing, arms etc. and I fly with it all the time. I'd say about 10% of the time it gets searched. The regs are usually what they want, and I keep those in their own bag within the suitcase. But this is mostly domestic travel, maybe international destinations increase the frequency?