Next time you’re going to the airport check your boarding pass before you arrive.
And if you see SSSS on it, you might be late for your flight.
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The code stands for “Secondary Security Screening Selection” which means the passenger has been selected for additional screening by security.
Anyone with this code is advised to arrive at the airport an extra half hour early, as it will take longer than usual to get through security.
The authorities take special interest in you and your luggage; Cools you down, cleans for explosive residue and opens all your bags.
They may also require additional information to prove identity and a detailed run-down of all travel plans.
Thankfully, this usually only applies when you’re going to the US, but some travelers say they have the code on their passports when traveling to countries like Turkey.
The program was introduced by the Transportation Security Administration as an additional security measure for passengers traveling in or out of the US after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
It’s unknown how many people are on the SSSS list because it’s kept secret, but if you can’t check in online, it could be a sign that you are.
The TSA previously said people were added to the list after being randomly selected by computer.
But the TSA source said there are other ways to get SSSS branded, including paying for a plane ticket with cash or regularly buying one-way tickets.
Getting off the SSSS list isn’t easy, but anyone who wants to can appeal to the Department of Security’s Traveler Address Inquiry Program.
Here’s how to get the SSSS code yourself, after a traveler from London spotted the dreaded code on his boarding pass.
Your boarding pass also contains other codes, for example, the two letters at the beginning of the flight number indicate the airline.
These two-letter codes are issued by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the trade association for international airlines.
It also matters whether your flight has an odd or even number. There are exceptions, but flights heading east or north are often given even numbers, and those heading west or south are assigned odd numbers.
And if you see GTE on your boarding pass, it probably means you don’t have a seat on the plane.
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