V-Flyer

Hi all - I’ve never had an issue on any Virgin flight with online check in - just tried for a flight tomorrow and I’m getting the message ‘due to government regulations please see a Delta agent at the airport’ - any insight ? My booking is made direct with Virgin not Delta and when I called Flying Club I was told booking looked fine and to head to airport - is there a possibility of downgrade / overbooking etc in Upper or is this normal ?

It may well be additional security - the "SSSS" that will appear on your boarding pass. This is why only the check in person can print it for you, so they can explain. Nothing to worry about, just extra questions and additional security at the gate area.

If that is the reason, and if you’re travelling with someone, give them your hand luggage when you get to the gate. You’ll thank me later ...

SSSS status does usually let you check-in though, it just will not issue you a boarding pass. I've had SSSS a few times over the last few years and whilst it's always let me check-in online, it's never issued me a mobile or print your own boarding pass.

Have you done any sort of upgrade with either cash or miles? Last time the VS system refused to check me in was because I'd upgraded using miles weeks before hand and VS had not processed my card for the extra tex/fees I had to pay being in a higher cabin. The agent I spoke too when I phoned VS spotted that straight away though and took the payment there and then. Online check-in then worked.

The whole "no boarding pass issued at OLCI if you've been SSSS'd" is a bit of a joke (I've had it). It's the barcode on the boarding pass that matters & this turns the light red when it's scanned at the gate area & you then get to have G4S go through your hand baggage.

By not issuing online boarding passes for SSSS selectees / printing the SSSS on the airport boarding pass, they are just waving a red warning flag for anyone who is up to no good.

I appreciate that Virgin & the other airlines are doubtless just complying with US Government rules - but this one is really daft as they are giving you advance warning that you are going to get a pretty thorough search before boarding the flight. Keep the SSSS embedded within the barcode so the element of randomness exists.

When i have similar issue in the past, its because they need to verify i have the correct visa for my destination (e.g. when i fly to Shanghai, i cant check in on-line as they need to check my passport to see if my VISA is valid)

When I tried to check myself and a friend in last year, I was able to check myself in but I wasn't able to check her in online. When we got to the airport she was given SSSS on her boarding pass. We have no idea why but it might have been something to do with her not having flown to the USA in the last 10 years?

Traveller2 wrote:When I tried to check myself and a friend in last year, I was able to check myself in but I wasn't able to check her in online. When we got to the airport she was given SSSS on her boarding pass. We have no idea why but it might have been something to do with her not having flown to the USA in the last 10 years?

Exactly same happened to Mrs D this year. No on line check in and SSSS on the Boardng pass and searched at the gate.
I must get on with lodging our appeal to the DHS TRIP as it has happened three years running.

Dick D

The proportion of passengers “randomly selected” for SSSS has increased significantly under the current US president.

As for whether printing SSSS on boarding passes renders the process ineffective - yes, that is one argument, indeed most visible airport security is pretty much theatre designed to make passengers feel safer when the real work is done behind the scenes using profiling & intelligence.

But you could also argue that if a would-be terrorist finds out they’ve been selected for SSSS they won’t do what they were planning to do. And if the risk of getting SSSS is enough to put them off flying, the system’s worked.

Out of interest, does anyone know if having Global Entry (with your Known Traveler Number correctly entered in your FF account) makes any difference to the random SSSS selection? Only asking as to get GE you've passed both a UK & US background check + attended an interview with a US CBP officer. I know GE is more to do with your immigration admissibility - but if you've done anything really bad in the past it should have been flagged up.

No, having GE does not disqualify you from being selected from SSSS.

GE is a CBP scheme, while SSSS is administered by the TSA. Two completely separate agencies.

Can definitely confirm that having Global Entry does not preclude you from getting SSSS as that’s exactly what happened to my husband when we travelled to New York last December.

Checked In at Drive Thru and yes it was the dreaded SSSS

I’ve never had it before - how long should I allow ?

chris9642 wrote:Checked In at Drive Thru and yes it was the dreaded SSSS

I’ve never had it before - how long should I allow ?

My last SSSS experience was over and done with in 60 seconds. I wouldn't factor in additional time unless you are taking a lot on board.

Yep had it on mine when i went to Washington last month and used DTCI. Short check and a bag rummage at the gate pre-boarding and that was it. Cost me 2 mins of my time and the embarassment of having to get my wife to do up my shoes again infront of 200 odd people as following back op, still couldnt reach them comfortably

I had an interesting experience with the SSSS on the boarding pass when I flew recently. One of the guys working in the security area at Gatwick (south terminal) had a question from a bit of a DYKWIA lady as to why she had that on her boarding pass. I overheard him asking a colleague who also didn't know, so I filled them in

It was even more amusing when we got to the gate and she had obviously asked an agent if they would be first to board, the agent had asked if they were in Premium (it was a Norwegian flight) and she had said yes. So when they started boarding with Premium passengers the lady and her hubby went up and were refused as they were down the back of the bus. I really don't get the American need to be the first to board. I was stood within earshot of the G4S people checking boarding passes for row numbers and the number of Americans that tried to board outside of their allotted time was incredible and all it did was to slow everyone else down

I was 5th in line for SSSS when I arrived at the gate - given a number and asked to wait. Took approx 10 mins to be seen but search was no more than 30 seconds - I was however on board just as the door shut behind me - having left the clubhouse at the first call. It’s a light load today though with only 101 passengers.