May 1, 1997
My first flight was on March 19, 1997 from San Francisco to Chicago Midway on Western Pacific Airlines, flight 624. While checking in baggage, I was informed that my carry-ons would need to be searched by security due to new FAA regulations which required "random" searching of passengers. Western Pacific's procedure was to issue a yellow card which needed to be stamped by security before the gate would issue me a boarding pass.
Security was very thorough with their search. All I carried on was a backpack full of books, papers, and random travel items like vitamins and some cassette tapes. They opened by entire bag and pulled out each item on to the table located near the X-ray machines. They seemed to take notice of some zines i carried. Once they were certain that I did not have any unusual items, they stamped my card and allowed me to proceed to the gate.
When I arrived at the gate check-in, I noticed that the woman behind the counter just took the stamped yellow card and simply left it on the desk. I could not see any other yellow cards lying around the desk. The flight had at least 100 passengers in which I appeared to be the only one who was "randomly" searched.
On March 26, 1997, I flew from Detroit to Chicago on Southwest flight WN0160. When I arrived at baggage check-in, I was informed that I would need to be searched going through security due to new FAA regulations which required random searches of passengers. The woman behind the counter marked a large "C" on my ticket.
Southwest, or Detroit Metro airport, had a different procedure than stamped yellow cards. I was given a brightly florescent orange tag that was strapped onto my backpack. As I went through security, I felt like a branded animal heading for slaughter. Security notice the orange tag from 30 feet away.
Security then proceeded to do another efficient search of my bag. Once I arrived at the gate the woman at the counter noticed my ticket with the large "C" on it and verified that my cow tag had been properly hole punched. She then proceeded to pull out a sheet of paper that was entitled something like "SouthWest Passenger Check In/Verification" and write down my name, the date and time. Apparently, each flight has its own separate survailance form with specific flight information located at the top of the list. There was space on the sheet for at least fifty names. My name was at the top of the page and at the time of departure no new names were added. I am certain that I was the only one on this flight who was searched since there were only 35 people on this flight. I kept a close eye on the last few people who checked in; no one else was "randomly" searched.
Finally, flying back to San Francisco from Chicago Midway, I flew on Western Pacific Airlines, flight #321 on April 1st. As I arrived at the baggage check-in counter, I was informed again that I would need to have my carry-on searched by security. However, something interesting happened. The woman working the counter seemed to be a bit surprised by what popped up on her computer screen and wasn't properly prepared for the situation. She asked her supervisor where the slips of paper where that were required for the "random" searches. She was shuffling through the drawers and on top of the counter looking for them. Her supervisor didn't seem to know where the slips of paper where and suggested that they might be in the backroom. After returning from the backroom, the supervisor told the woman that she couldn't find any of the slips. She said that she would just do the search at the counter, which she then proceeded to do.
I was very attuned to the fact that they were so disorganized about the slips of paper required for the "random" searches. Flight 321 was a full flight carrying approximately 135 passengers and you would think that if the searches were truly random, someone else aboard would have been searched and the women behind the counter would have been more prepared and less confused about the procedure. I believe I was the only passenger to be "randomly" searched on this flight.
What all this leads to is the high probability that my name is being cross referenced with a computer database of names that have been supplied to all airlines. Because I experienced "random" searches with two separate airlines, I suspect that the list was centrally supplied by some government agency concerned about my activities. For those unfortunate enough to be on this unkown list, the searches are far from random.
NOTE: the only flight that I was not searched on was the flight from Chicago to Detroit. However, there were unusual circumstances: I bought the ticket 10 minutes before I went to the gate. Perhaps there was a delay in cross referencing my name.
UPDATE: As of August 5th, I have not been profiled since April 1st. I have been on approximately 4 domestic flights since.