In transit to Seattle, random security checks
Travelling to Seattle for Gnomedex this morning. Didn’t find a free WiFi connection in Sea-Tac, although the AT&T Wayport service seems to have good coverage in the main atrium (for $7.95 per day).
On the way here, I’ve discovered I’m apparently on a TSA list of some sort. I wasn’t able to use Southwest’s online check in service last night, and the self-serve kiosk at the San Jose airport also wouldn’t let me check in this morning. The customer service agent said that my name hit a “match list” which requires that they check my ID. This is the first time I’ve been unable to use online or self-service check in, my last flight was a few weeks ago, so this seems to be something new.
Separately, my Thinkpad and shoes got selected for extra testing at security screening. They had no way of knowing about my check in, so it’s either random or they didn’t like something they saw on the x-ray. Both the Thinkpad and these shoes have been around the world a few times, so I don’t think there’s anything interesting to see there. At least I didn’t win the “SSSSSSS” lottery this time. For a while, I was getting “additional screening” every week, but that hasn’t happened in a while.
I’m hoping this is just random, I’ll see what happens on the return flight on Sunday. It would be a pain to lose online check in, especially for travelling on Southwest. It’s impossible to get an “A” group boarding pass without using online check in these days, at least from San Jose.
Update: Sunday 07-02-2006 23:02 PDT - I didn’t have any problems checking in at the airport in Seattle, so perhaps it was just a temporary thing.
Tags: travel, security, southwest, tsa
