The four SSSS of flying. Look in your lower R/Hand corner of the ticket.

I flew for the first time this past week in over ten years and oh what an adventure. Being the visionary that I am, betting the wife I would be searched was no big stretch. I had the backpack set as my carry on and put my electronics and other valuables inside and thought to myself this should be easy. Boarding the first leg of the trip in Grand Rapids the lady who checks the ID's says that I have been selected for extra screening. Having a very common name which is on the super bowl trophy, although I have never played football made me figure I would be searched.
They started to pull Everything out of my bag. The cell phone was dusted for something, bomb residue? Then game the Nintendo hand held after that the digital camera then of course the cell phone and the charger. Lucky for me it was only a five day trip. Staying calm and knowing that if I smarted off it was surely a cavity search, fifteen minutes later I was on my way to San Antonio.
Five long hot days in San Antonio gave me time to think of my return trip strategy. Knowing that I would be searched again, the bag with all of the electronic toys was checked and the wife walked through with the lone carry on. Of course I was checked again and this time the 15th of June was a special birthday search with no song and of course no cake. Quick and easy was the search this time, no belt to take off, no socks to take off only the sandals.
Sitting next to us on this flight which was to Houston from San Antonio was a guy who claimed he was heading to Kuwait because he worked for Halliburton and used to work for TSA, so probably half is true. This guy pointed out to us that because of the SSSS in the lower right hand corner of my ticket that meant I was subject to the search. The four SSSS of flying, I could only figure out two of them selected search, or maybe super screwed. If you have any ideas for the four SSSS of flying let me know, Thanks.

They do not apply to you, personally, but to your boarding pass.

I've had it happen to me and I am an Executive Platinum flyer.

and being searched both times makes me believe it in no way was random.

bad joke. I feel for you. I haven't flown in about two years and dread the search on my next flight. The feds have made flying so unpleasant that I don't want to fly. If I take an international flight, I think I might go to Vancouver, Canada and fly out of there to avoid the crap that's going on down here.

no belt and your cell phone. It takes the bullshit right out of the picture.

I recall a trip to two states over a week.

Wore a pantsuit and carried a backpack and computer bag as carry-on.
Leaving home -- got everything searched.

2nd airport, left wearing same pantsuit, and not only did TSA look through my backpack, they dumped it out on a table. They got to see my nice (clean) underwear in a Ziplock bag along...I even got a near cavity search...

3rd airport, I had had enough with the pantsuit. After the meeting I attended, I changed into a T-shirt and a pair of jeans and sneakers. I cruised through and didn't even have to take off my shoes!

On another trip, traveling with my kid, I got the near cavity search. TSA made no attempt to explain to my kid why I was getting the full examination, and I could not talk to my kid hold hands or reassure everything was going to be alright. The kid was terrified, just standing there watching it all.

...they have your phone records and they've captured your keystrokes....as for anyone who posts on DU it means....SSSS=Supercilious Shithead/Strip Search....welcome to our new democracy....

I'm a smartass without a sarcasm smiley.....

I had to deal with this a few times. I was told that you automatically get the 4S's when you change your plane ticket. Other times, it can just be a random thing. Sounds like you're on some sort of list though. I wish I had some ideas other than the lame "don't fly" idea. :shrug:

random thing obsolete. FYI, we purchased both tickets at the same time and she had no trouble getting through.

:shrug:

he knows why he is on the list, he even says so in the original post

if you have a common name that is often used as an easily remembered alias by bad guys, you will end up frequently getting the treatment, just ask anyone named ed (or even ted) kennedy and david nelson

i know people w. common names this happens to, it is nothing mysterious, it ain't abt you, it's your name

there is nothing to be done except leave more time at the airport in case you are delayed while they clear it up in the computer

they give you a form you can turn in, but rather apologetically, as even some of the TSA acknowledges they are unaware that filing the form will make any difference

wives don't get the search w. husbands if they don't share the common name, at least not in my experience

we laughed at the parents who named their kids alexus ferrari but it turned out they were the smart ones, the day when it's a good idea to have a simple anglo-saxon name is over