Travelers just learned this symbol on their boarding pass can slow down your vacation plans

Whether you print a physical copy of your boarding pass or save a digital one on your phone, the little slips are full of relevant information about the traveler they belong to. There’s one code that could inhibit your vacation plans.

Next time you’re preparing for a trip, check to see if there’s an “SSSS” printed in the bottom corner of your boarding pass. It stands for “Secondary Security Screening Selection,” and it’s not a great thing to have.

The code signals to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers to conduct additional searches for the passenger, Travel + Leisure reported. It can happen whether you’re traveling domestically or internationally.

The extra searches may include having your electronics swapped, a manual examination of your carry-on luggage, or being patted down. Many times, the SSSS is randomly applied to a traveler’s ticket. It could also be added to passengers on a TSA watchlist.

One passenger recounted their experience with the SSSS code on Reddit. They said they were a regular flier, but one time they had the dreaded symbol.

They wrote: “I only learn about the SSSS as I’m lined up to board. While waiting for screening, I hear group 1, 2, the call for three and thinking, ‘there goes all the overhead space.’

“Luckily I only had a backpack, but a little warning from the agent who printed the boarding pass would have been nice.”

A commenter agreed that the protocol is useless, especially if passengers know what it means.

They said: “Of all the security theater, this is the absolutely most inane. You’re getting a secondary screening and they tell you in advance.

“So, if you have ill intent, you go home. Or you ditch any dangerous item before screening. Or you hand your carry on to another member of your party.”

If you frequently find the SSSS symbol on your boarding pass, there’s a way to inquire about it to the Department of Homeland Security. Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP) is a single point of contact for individuals who have had difficulties during travel screenings at transportation hubs such as airports or U.S. borders.

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