I was picked for “extra security” on my way home from San Antonio at the end of August. There was no private room for my pat-down.
There was no privacy while they rifled through all of my belongings.
I asked the guard why I got the cavity-search, he replied “This isn’t a cavity search!” I said, “You are pawing through all of my private stuff, it certainly is to me!”
He ended up telling me that my airline had “selected” me for “extra screening”.
“He ended up telling me that my airline had ‘selected’ me for ‘extra screening’”
He would be right. Call your airline and ask them why you were selected for “extra screening”.
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Ditto, but from Bermuda in the Spring of '06. I received the attentions of a female guard, who asked me to step to the side, right next to everyone who was scheduled to board. I was subjected to a rather thorough "pat down" of my upper body while everyone watched. It was very strange, since I was only wearing a tee shirt and capris.
I saw this happen to a guy in the airport at Monroe, La. The person rifling through the guy's suitcase told him that the computer will tell a ticket or gate agent that a passenger is to be searched further, based on criteria such as buying a ticket at the last minute or paying cash or having a one-way ticket, or the luggage you are carrying. This initial screening was near the ticket counter. Then, sure enough, he was screened more than everyone else at the gate also.
I don't know that anything the agent said was true or false, I am simply telling you what I saw and heard myself.