New Random Security Screens at AMS

We flew through AMS about a month ago on our trip to and from Uganda. My husband was selected at the gate for additional scrutiny. It was at the gate after we had been through the general security screening. Not sure what was happening but we do not argue with security screenings!

Life goes on.

The gate screenings (SSSS = Secondary Security Screening Selection) continue, too. I've been picked once for that, but it was painless... though not so much for the guy beside me whose hand bomb residue test was positive (apparently some medications can cross react on the test).

Interestingly, I and my fellow passengers also went through security at CDG (Paris) almost immediately after disembarking the plane (before immigration control). I had not done that before, either. Normally I fly into CDG on Delta -- flew in this time on Air France. Not sure if that put me in a different concourse with different rules or if that is something new.

I had to do the same thing a few years ago at AMS. Right before boarding the flight there was a secondary screening and I "won". I had to take all the electronics out of my carry-on bag. That meant anything with a cable, plug or on/off switch. It was chaos. I was one of the last to board the plane. Luckily my husband guarded space in the overhead bins for my suitcase!

Just checked in online for CDG> Munich> SFO and there it was - SSSS. Will post after I get the extra scrutiny in Munich tomorrow

Oh that's interesting Dave. I departed from AMS last Tuesday on an International flight and just went thru a passport kiosk where you put your passport on the scanner, looked at the place it said to look, then walked a few feet where a person held out his hand for my passport, stamped it and sent me on my way. Very fast.

Of course that was leaving, not entering!

LauraB, let us know!

Dave, what was your itinerary? Just wondering as I know procedures at CDG vary a lot depending on where exactly you are coming to/from.

Itinerary was Bremen (Germany) to Amsterdam and then Amsterdam to Atlanta.

Sorry -- where did Paris enter the mix then? Did you fly Amsterdam-Paris-Atlanta?

Sorry. Read the question wrong.

Inbound: Detroit to CDG on Air France, then CDG to Bremen out of the Hop! regional concourse.
Outbound: Bremen to AMS, then AMS to Atlanta

I was picked for an enhanced security check at the CPH gate for my flight returning to the States. I was connecting at CPH from OSL back to SFO. I went through initial secuirty at OSL, then passport control at CPH. Monitor displayed names of those needing to report to the gate desk and on reporting I was directed to the agent who both interviewed me and rechecked my carry-on including swab test checks for chemicals. I am assuming that if you didn't clear secondary screening prior to boarding, they would get you while attempting to board.

The enhanced screen is apparently an American DHS mandate.
https://www.dhs.gov/aviation-security

There are more than 280 last-point-of-departure airports with direct
commercial flights to the U.S., in 105 countries around the world. The
enhanced security measures include but are not limited to:

Enhancing overall passenger screening;

Conducting heightened screening of personal electronic devices; and

Increasing security protocols around aircraft and in passenger areas.

Report of SSSS in Munich this morning -- no big deal. I was directed to a separate line (DH waited for me after speeding through the regular line) Scan plus respectful patdown, had to open my carryon bag for a quick look inside plus a swab, toughest part was taking off my shoes and then lacing them up again -- not much different than going through without precheck.

Wear slip ons shoes or sandals!

@slwolf, yes I could wear slip on shoes but then I would have to pack my hiking boots, which take up a lot of space. A lot of trouble for ten minutes of lacing.