Flying out of Dubai on United Airlines was an interesting experience–apparently, secondary screening is just a suggestion? Look, I’m not complaining, but my “SSSS” treatment at Dubai Airport was beautifully non-existent.
SSSS In Dubai Airport – Nothing Secondary About It
SSSS stands for Secondary Security Screening Selection…given either randomly to passengers or assigned based on their ticket (such as odd one-way routings). I saw the “dreaded” SSSS on my boarding pass when I checked in for my United flight to Newark and prepared for the worst.
Typically that means additional screening including a careful search of my carry-on bags, a pat-down, and wiping my hands an carry-ons then testing them for traces of explosives in a machine that may not work but certainly taxpayers paid far too much for.
Why did I get the SSSS this time? It could be because I bought a one-way to Dubai and the US government may not have been able to track my routing to get to Dubai (it was San Francisco – Taipei – Singapore – Siem Reap – Bangkok – Kathmandu – Paro – Delhi – Dubai) and therefore flagged my itinerary. Maybe it was just because it was a one-way ticket originating in the Middle East? Or just totally random…
In any case, this was not my first time with an SSSS on my boarding pass and I doubt it will be my last.
I showed up at the gate and everyone had to go through a gate screening before being allowed onboard the US-bound flight. I expected the usual rigamarole, but I went through security just like everyone else…and that was that. No extra checks or additional searching.
Soon after, I was sitting on my seat onboard.
I’m not sure whether ground staff was supposed to do anything additional or if the “standard” secondary screening everyone has to go through at the gate was considered enough, but the SSSS was never mentioned.
And I like it that way…a welcome difference from the way German airports handle SSSS…
It’s not mishandling. As you said, everyone goes through secondary screening departing some airports. So in this case, it was handled properly.
I got the dreaded SSSS on my boarding pass with last minute purchase of a pair of tickets from London to MSY.
The only extra step was a drug swap run on the surface of my carry-on since the purchase was on my credit card.
There was no SSSS notice on my travel buddy’s boarding pass…go figure!!
So how do you know they mishandled it if you’re not sure if they were supposed to do anything or not?
I’ll leave it at this: SSSS means something completely different coming into the US than it does when it is domestically issued within the US.
a united review is so stupid. stop wasting your time its been done so many times before. Your review adds nothing new or interesting.
Then don’t read it. Goodness, what a Karen you are.
I met a young woman,manager at a McDonald’s,who would be assigned SSSS every single time she traveled because her last name was Hussein.
Only had the SSSS once many years ago and it was a horrible experience. I was on the car going to the airport when I got a call from Delta saying my flight had been cancelled and they were looking for alternatives. While I was driving the lady offered to book me on AA instead but on a different route from my original Delta itinerary. She said when I got to the airport I should go to the AA check in and my boarding pass would be waiting for me. Yes, it was but it had a SSSS on it. To make things worse, the AA flight was a bit earlier than my original one so I was actually cutting short to make it. As I get to TSA, they looked at my boarding pass and all red flags went up. Suddenly I was surrounded by a bunch of agents telling me to not touch anything and just follow their directions. To summarize, they literally torn my carry on apart to the point of removing the internal liner. With gloves, they went through each pair of socks, shirts, etc… inside and out, they removed the insoles of my shoes, opened my toothpaste, deodorant, etc… I could not say a word or even move and it took them forever. They started questioning me why I changed airlines and itinerary so close to my original flight and were not convinced when I explained that it was the airline that did and it was not my choice. They told me to never do that again like it was my fault. No need to say that when they were done I had to run to the gate and I was the last passenger on board with the door closed immediately after I got in.
I flew out of Frankfurt about a month ago and didn’t have the SSSS but still got extra attention including a pat down where I was sorely tempted to say that we should get to know each other better before doing that since I couldn’t have hidden anything in my pants if I’d tried. I can’t fathom what it must be like if you get SSSS.
You don’t need to fathom anything. He just told you nothing happened with the SSSS.
I wish you would have had the balls to wiseoff to the Germans. That would have granted you your wish of the attention that you so desperately sought.
Easy there snowflake. Read his last sentence.
Christy needs a hug. I mouth to Germans all the time including at FRA. Not sure what you think will happen kid. It is not DME…
My last SSSS was on the boarding pass for my flight out of CDG (nothing on the flight into CDG earlier that day or on the connection home). If I’m going to get one, it was nit bad. The extra search happens after the gate door. The only strange thing is by the time I was let go, they had blocked the jetbridge to J, so I was stuck in longer lines. But, all the time I knew it wouldn’t cause me to miss the plane.
I’ve had it 4 times out of Sydney travelling to the US. Once with family and inly me getting ssss, and the rest alone. Normally no issue except once when the inspector was a moron. He kept asking me why my computer was cold. All I could say was it’s 40f outside and the computer is on the outside of my bag? His colleague butted in after a while of him handling my work computer and told him nothing was out of order and to cease the questioning.
I flew SIN-LAX last year on SQ and SSSS was ignored. Maybe their security at the gate covered it but nothing extra. Not complaining.
Got it also on TN CDG-LAX and had to wait for several Y customers to be checked. Not bad
You may have been part of a quota selection for SSSS. I have had the airline security contractors sometimes exempt me from the gate-area SSSS process as a presumed quota selectee and the reasons have varied for why they decided to skip the haraSSSSment screening process for me.
We only miss handling I see is the fact United Airlines. Anyone in your right mind would choose Emirates over United.
I’ve had a few SSSS from Dubai. I also suspect it was for one way tickets. Usually it means they pull you to the front of the gate security line, but they seemed to do all the same checks that they did for everyone else.
Had it out of Cabo once and no one looked at it. I strangely get it ~50% of the time in LHR but not any other European airports
Maybe it’s because they knew you weren’t a “T word” because you’re famous.
LOL.
Personally, I don’t see a logical pattern on this, besides some factors and pure random selection. I also question how a Global Entry Holder who is “TSA pre-approved” also gets the SSSS? I had that last year on a just normal FRA-SFO-FRA ticket, while I had 6 weeks prior to that a more cracy routing to the US with starting in ATH and ending ins DUB…..
My sister and I got SSSS on our FRA-CLT flight 2 days ago. I’ve never seen it on any of my intl travels but after reading your post I get it now (we entered in London, did a cruise and flew from FCO-FRA to get back to the U.S.). During the secondary search, my sister’s juice bottle that she had just bought at the only convenience store 5 ft from the gate got flagged from the swab. They proceeded to call the police to question her and requested the receipt. Luckily she had it and we were cleared to board but I feel like it was a tad bit excessive to call the police considering security and the store are within 5-10 ft of the gate. Smh. 0/10 rating for SSSS in FRA lol
Glad you made it onboard. I find FRA to be the absolute worst when it comes to SSSS.
What an American joke (redundant). Clown show us empire oppressions.