What airline travelers need to know if the letters “SSSS” appear on their boarding pass

Should you panic when you see “SSSS” printed on your boarding pass? Social media users went viral to share their experiences after noticing the four letters upon arriving at the airport.

So, what does SSSS mean if it shows up at check-in?

“SSSS are actually four scary letters that no traveler should want to see on their boarding pass,” Zach Greif, senior aviation writer for New York-based travel blog The Point Guys, told Fox News Digital.

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“It stands for ‘secondary security screening selection,’ which is a procedure carried out by security authorities in the United States to screen certain passengers through additional checks.”

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will select passengers before the official flight departs.

“People selected for this enhanced security are selected in the days leading up to the flight when airlines share the passenger list with US security authorities,” Greif added.

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Most people who receive SSSS before a trip won’t be able to check in online, Greif said, and will get a printed ticket from an agent — and that’s exactly what happened to Jordyn Verzeira and JT Mokarski, founders of the travel blog “The Mobile.” Homie.”

“SSSS” stands for “Selection of Secondary Security Screening,” which means that the recipient will have to undergo some additional security measures during their trip. (mobile phone owner)

The travel content creation duo from Arizona shared their experiences on TikTok every time they noticed the four S’s on their boarding passes.

When they receive SSSS on their boarding passes and post it on social media, users flood them with questions in the comments section.

Verzera and Mocarski told Fox News Digital what this additional screening process entails.

The first time Verzera and Mokarski encountered the Four Letters, only one of them managed to check in before their flight.

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Verzera said she tried to get a boarding pass through the airline’s app, but a notification appeared saying she had to check in with a gate agent.

The waiting process and additional security procedures you have to follow with SSSS can take hours. (Istock)

Verzera said she was confused until she spoke to an agent.

“They had to give me a printed boarding pass [Mocarski] He could still use his digital card, and then I had to carry that card with me. “It was tagged and circled, and I had to show it like every step along the way,” Verzera said.

“Instead of just going through one form of security… you had to get to the gate early, and they did a very deep screening when you left. But the important thing is that once we arrived, we actually ended up having to go through customs… and it was That’s when the really deep digging started.”

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Verzera said all the items she packed had to be removed from her luggage, including her toiletries. These items were then placed on the conveyor belt where everything was scanned. Her laptop also had to be turned on so she could get through security.

Verzera took a video showing a crowded queue in front of her as she waited three hours for her boarding pass after receiving a “SSSS” mark on her initial ticket. (mobile phone owner)

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“It was a little scary the first time,” she said.

Verzera had to arrive early at the airport to collect her boarding pass and had to wait in line for three hours. She said it took another hour for the additional screening at customs.

In April, when Mocarski went through the SSSS process in Rome, it was much faster, he said.

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“It depends on the country… or where you’re going, like how serious the search is, what it entails,” Mocarski told Fox News Digital.

“SSSS can also be completely random, and there is no way to know when you book your flight whether you will be selected as an SSSS or not.”

— Zach Greif, senior aviation writer at New York-based travel blog The Point Guys

Greif agreed with Mokarski’s point by adding that it depends on the airport you are at, with some requiring early arrival and “full payment.” Some airports may require an “in-person interview, along with further screening.”

Mocarski said he thinks social media may have taken a little offense to the extra security measure.

“At the end of the day, it’s random, even like TSA agents, it’s not like they’re choosing you. They know what treatments they need to take to make sure they’re screening,” Mocarski said. .

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“It’s just a matter of staying calm and respecting their time. They’ll come back with you.”

“At the end of the day, they’re just doing your job,” he added. “They’re not there maliciously.”

Mokarski received his first “SSSS” mark on his boarding pass in April, and the mark added just an extra hour to his travel day, he said. (mobile phone owner)

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You might get SSI for a few different reasons: “Suspicious travel patterns such as frequent one-way international trips, or numerous visits to high-risk countries,” Greif said.

“SSSS can also be completely random, and there is no way to know when you book your flight whether you will be selected as SSSS or not,” Greif added.

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Some people who got “SSSS” on their boarding pass reportedly tried to apply for a compensation number with the Department of Homeland Security in an attempt to never see the messages again, according to several travel blogs. (Chip Somodevila/Getty Images)

People may be concerned about SSSS because they feel the additional screening will cause them to miss their flight, Verzera said.

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She and Mokarski recommend getting travel insurance for this.

They also said that when the word “SSSS” appeared on the boarding passes, the plane “waited” and did not leave any “SSSS passengers” behind.

Social media users have gone viral to share their experiences with the dreaded ‘SSSS’ that may appear on their boarding pass, meaning they have been selected to pass through initial security. (mobile phone owner)

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“I think for us, and the thing we like to remind our friends, is that travel is not perfect,” Verzeira said.

“You grow more when you don’t feel comfortable traveling – just understand that it happens. Just adapt to it, let it be part of your day… go through it, and then [say]“I hope it doesn’t happen again.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to the TSA for comment.