Are you on the no-fly or watch list?

[yurbud]

For the last couple of years, when I check in for flights at the airport, my name shows up on the watch list and the ticket agent has to call and get clearance before processing my ticket--they say they are concerned about someone ELSE with the same name.

I'm wondering how many people here this has happened to.

Tell your story if you are on either list.

[slackmaster]

1. I'm not but my sister-in-law is

Her husband, my brother, is an officer in the U.S. Navy.

They travelled to several Muslim countries while they were stationed in Bahrain. Since then, my SIL gets hassled every time she gets on a plane. (Brother usually gets around on military flights so it's never a hassle.)

[FreakinDJ]

2. I've been caught in the net

See the link in sig line.

Turns out anyone writing emailing folks in this country are included.

What bothers me is I've had that same link in my sig line for 4 years now here on DU. In the run up to the 04 elections I can't tell you how many Right Wing-Nut / Racist - Kill a Commie for Christ websites I've logged in my access.logs showing my URL as "An Enemy of the State" because i post here at DU

They want to find some REAL TERRORIST I'll gladly turn over my access.logs right now. (heck they probably have a back door to my server)

Most of these groups were actively discussing shipping .50cal armour piercing/explosive amunition in from other countries for the BIG DAY (when the race wars begin). All the while proudly displaying patriotic American symbols in their logo.

Gimme a break Bush - sure there are Terrorist here in America, and they are in your party

[ClintonTyree]

3. I'll find out in two weeks........

I'm heading down to "Nawlans" to visit my daughter. I wouldn't doubt it, I'm pretty politically active locally and I'm in a well populated county in NY. A lot of people know my name and many of them, usually with an (R) after their names don;t like me too much. Oh well, I think I'd be kind of disappointed if I wasn't. :shrug: I'd feel like I wasn't doing my job.

[yurbud]

4. I thought I would have more company here.

[johnaries]

5. Thanks for starting this poll!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=116512&mesg_id=116512

:hi:

[MADem]

6. Yep

I've lived everywhere, including the ME...in the service of the damn government.

So now I am an Enemy of the State, I reckon.

[obxhead]

7. well, now that I voted in this poll I'm sure I'm screwed on my next

flight :)....

So far I've been pulled aside for "extra screening" at 2 VA airports (richmond & Dulles) but never been detained beyond the "extra physical" pat down. I've been told that it was a "random" mark on my ticket however that required the extra search....

As a side note I've only boarded a plane 4 times since 9/11 so with a .5000 battin' average.....

[BadgerKid]

8. Dunno but I was approached

in the corridors of a Canadian airport in the 1990's during a return business flight to the US. The officer took my name, city/state, and occupation/reason for travel.

Then a couple of years ago in Montreal airport I was deemed to be flagged by the drug screen. (Duh, no I don't do drugs.) I understand that this was serious sh_t, so in answering the questions I wanted to be slow and direct. I got a sense that this manner displeased them somehow .. almost as if they were deliberately trying to get me to trip up in my answers. Maybe it was just their own time pressures to meet quota or such. I got promoted to the shoe search and pat-down. Woohoo :eyes:

When next I fly, we'll see if I still look "suspicious"

[phylny]

9. I've never been stopped, but my bag ALWAYS has a nice

note from the TSA letting me know they're poking through my suitcase and my panties. ALWAYS.

[yurbud]

10. they have to sniff your panties for bomb-making chemicals

[StellaBlue]

11. how do you find out?

I am supposed to fly to NYC next month! egads!

[depakid]

15. When you get to the airport

better leave early- and have back-up plans.

[johnaries]

17. I don't know of any way of finding out until you get there, unless

you've booked online and tried to print out a boarding pass. If it lets you print one, you're ok.

Otherwise, if you have to go to the airline desk to get your boarding pass and they just look at your ID, you're ok. Otherwise, they'll either call in or type in all your info from your ID (address, birth date, etc). Then, when you get your boarding pass take a look at it. If it has a hole punched in it or any other unusual marks, be prepared to be pulled out of line for a "pat down" and a full luggage search.

If this happens, expect it EVERY TIME you fly.

[StellaBlue]

18. actually, wait a minute

for the last several years I have flown back and forth from London, but I haven't been on any domestic flights. I assume I will be okay this time. No probs before, except with immigration on the UK end, bastards!

[yurbud]

20. I would search Texans too

[nickinSTL]

12. not last I knew

not as of summer 2004. I flew to Pittsburgh with no trouble...

Of course, I'm sure the Bush Admin has expanded their work since then...

[Cleita]

13. I don't know because I don't fly anywhere, but if I attempt to

buy an airplane ticket will I find out? If I can, then I will buy a ticket to somewhere, (and cancel it later)if this tells me that I am.

[johnaries]

14. Kick, because I'm curious

how many other DUer's are on the list besides me.

[Maine-ah]

16. I don't know

I haven't flown in over ten years. But hubbie and I are considering vacation this year, so maybe I'll find out. I wouldn't be surprised though if I was atleast on a watch list.

[karlrschneider]

19. I might be, but I fly my own plane so don't really know.

:D

[Blue_In_AK]

21. The last time I flew was to DC

in September. I didn't have any problems then...don't know about now.

[fujiyama]

22. Not as far as I know

I've flown a few times after 9/11. Once abroad and once to Vegas. I didn't have any problems.

[yurbud]

23. yeah, but you wrote that conservative book on the end of history

[fujiyama]

24. LOL

That was Francis FUKUYAMA.

My screename is taken from Mount Fuji.

[nomatrix]

25. Had to fly over the holidays last minute

My mother was taken to the hospital suddenly. That puts me with the "SSSS" code on my ticket. (who makes up these codes?)
Last minute purchase.

I figured that. I go to my small town airport and proceed to the the screener and there is no sign or anyone saying....
"Coats off." "Shoes off."

I put my stuff in the bin and the screen is looking at me. The he says "coat off." I do it. I have a sweatshirt on. "Take that off too." Wait.
"Take your shoes off." I am waiting.
So I ask "watch?" "No."
I am trying to guess because he doesn't say go through. (Is this part of the screening, to see if you can piss the passenger off?)
So I say "belt?" "No."
"Socks?" (They made my daughter take off her socks one time) I guess they haven't got a sock bomb.
(Did I say that outloud?) Shit.
Screener gives the mouth signal and I am off to be questioned.

After being frisked, wanded, my bag, wallet, medicine, thoughly rifled through, I was embarrassed. I said "I was sorry, but guessing what to disrobe" makes one think about "what do they want me to take off next?" They wrote me up and reminded me about the passenger in Miami.
"You mean, the missionary who was killed?" They told me they didn't have to let me fly.
I said "I wouldn't be traveling during the holidays at these rates if I didn't have this emergency."
The armed guard was nice enough to tell me his grandmother had just died and was sorry about my mother. He said "when you are emotional, it is easy to say something inappropriate." I thanked him.
Honestly, after I was reminded about the guy who was shot repeatedly, I just pointed to my closed mouth and shook my head "no" I wouldn't say another word.

I sat as far away from everyone waiting to board with tears in my eyes. I consider myself pretty resistant to B.S. (drove truck for years)
I had a really big guy come sit next to me on the plane.
I was the only one with an open seat, they were holding the plane for him.
I just wanted to get off, and this is the truth, even with Mom sick, I didn't want to go. I think I can understand the claustrophobic feeling the missionary from miami felt.
All I could think about was why didn't they have a sign or someone saying what you needed to remove.
Honestly, I felt like a criminal.
On the return, from a much larger airport, security was announcing at the beginning of the long line, what needed to be removed. That easy.
(They changed, from watches, belts and suspenders)

Maybe that was the way they evaluate the passenger: edgy, nervous, sweating after they tell you to take off your clothes, impatient. I wasn't being snarky, really. I just couldn't think of what they were making me stand there for. Maybe to wait until the bags pass through? Just say it.

I don't know if that put me on a list. Maybe.

I really hate reliving this, but I just wanted to pass this on as advice to anyone who might have emergency travel.

P.S. Mom was glad I was there.

http://www.todaysengineer.org/2005/Jun/security.asp

"One-way air tickets are considered suspect and carry an “SSSS” code on boarding passes, requiring a full-body wanding of the hapless passenger. This also applies for round trips, using different carriers for the two legs, and even to code-share flights where one carrier issues the ticket, but a shared carrier is used for one one-way segment. The second carrier must issue a “SSSS” boarding pass. The logic seems to be that a terrorist planning a suicide mission would not buy a round-trip ticket if he did not plan to use the return part, in the interest of economy."