one way airline tickets? problems with security?

[rockin_rep]

We would like to buy our college aged student a one way ticket to meet us at WDW, then drive home with us.

I've heard that while airlines will sell a one way ticket, airport / airline security make it super tough on the passenger, thinking they're up to no good. Of course i'd NEVER want one of my children to be subjected to this, so i'm thinking of just buying a round trip ticket and throwing out the other half.

Anyone have any experience with this, ideas, other concerns or issues i haven't thought of, or any possible solutions?

As always, thanks in advance for any feedback!

 

[Cruisin]

We did this in January with our 2 college age children (22 years and 18 years old).

They drove down to Florida with us and then flew back in time to start up the new school year.

They had no problems at all with the airport security and we are Non American citizens and they were flying between two American cities. We live one hour from the Canada-US border.

My Husband flew down to meet us in Florida and drove back, so he also had a one way ticket, with no problems.

I would buy the one way ticket for either of my children again with no hesitation.

 

[delilah]

My husband had one way tickets between Indianapolis and Florida several times while he was taking care of selling his mother's house when he was putting her in the nursing home. This was in 2002. I am not sure if there is any correlation, but, since that time, he has nearly every time been flagged for extra security. We never can get our boarding passes 24 hrs in advance, because he is in our group reservation. He has even been taken over to the special private area to have his bag torn apart and inspected. It's enough that I have considered getting him the special pre-screening to clear him in advance. It is either because of the one-way flights, or because he has a similar name to somebody else they are looking for.

 

[zurgswife]

With the way SW structures it's dates. I buy one way tickets all the time because usually both dates of my travel aren't available at the same time.

There is always a chance that your son would have to be screen more but that is just the luck of the draw.

I believe what your refering to is people that walk up and purchase a ticket for that day. Not totally sure though but that is what I heard.

 

[rockin_rep]

My husband had one way tickets between Indianapolis and Florida several times while he was taking care of selling his mother's house when he was putting her in the nursing home. This was in 2002. I am not sure if there is any correlation, but, since that time, he has nearly every time been flagged for extra security. We never can get our boarding passes 24 hrs in advance, because he is in our group reservation. He has even been taken over to the special private area to have his bag torn apart and inspected. It's enough that I have considered getting him the special pre-screening to clear him in advance. It is either because of the one-way flights, or because he has a similar name to somebody else they are looking for.

I thought i'd read and heard similar stories, and it really concerns me. I'm sure its no fun for anyone but especially for a young(er) college age kid.

What is the special pre-screening? I'm not familiar with that.

I believe what your refering to is people that walk up and purchase a ticket for that day. Not totally sure though but that is what I heard.

Oh, that makes sense! I hope that's the case!

Anyone else with an experience?

TIA.

 

[tjmw2727]

This was once the case but with Jet Blue, Song, SWA and other airlines only offering "one way" fares that are then combined to make a round trip I don't think it is the case any more.

When we flew out of Logan we often used JB one way and Song the other due to pricing and available times, no problems. My dh flies for business and its often one way because he makes a "three leg" trip. He has also driven my FIL's car to FL and flew home one way.

With all his traveling, including all the one way fares the only time he was singled out was our family vacation on R/T tickets and that was the random SSSSS on the boarding pass!

Just have your child be prepared, arrive early at the airport, have id and ticket information ready. I would suggest he/she dress in an comfortable but inconspicous manner and pack any carryon lightly. When going through security take off all jewelry (or don't wear any), belts and take electronics out of pockets. I also take off my shoes and jacket and walk through slowly. Have him/her read through the suggestions for TSA screening on the website of the airline and follow the procedures.

I don't think you need to buy a r/t to avoid extra screening, most times it is random.

TJ

 

[mcnuss]

I thought i'd read and heard similar stories, and it really concerns me. I'm sure its no fun for anyone but especially for a young(er) college age kid.

What is the special pre-screening? I'm not familiar with that.
Anyone else with an experience?

TIA.

Nobody really knows what causes you to get pulled over for "special screening"...it's meant to be random! Some people think that it's a one-way ticket, but I've flown with them many many times and have never gotten pulled. One thing that can help is to make sure he has a frequent flyer number and that you buy the ticket in advance on a credit card. It seems to me that the people I see pulled out of line most often are the very infrequent flyers, but , that's just an observation not a fact. (I fly about 3-4x per month, btw.)

I have to say, as gently as I can, that I think you are being a bit overprotective here. It's not like he would be strip-searched - special screening generally means you get wanded and you have to have your bags hand-searched - and even if that were the case, it could happen with a r/t ticket, with you right there with him, etc... No way to stop this from happening, so if you're going to let a "kid" fly alone (and sorry, a college aged person is not really a kid in my book), it's a risk you have to be willing to take.

 

[Hannathy]

My DD flies one way in the summer all the time and yes she usually is pulled out to be checked but like everyone says all that means is they wand her and occasionally pat you around the torso it is no big deal and she has had this happen since age 11 certainly nothing to get a college age adult upset. there is always a chance they would randomnly be picked also, I have, so a round trip wouldn't prevent it. It seems if you are one way your checked suitcase is usually checked we have always found one of those slips saying so. I think you are over reacting to something that has a good chance of happening anyway and is no big deal. The first time at 11 we all got a good laugh out of it as she looked so "dangerous", She thought it was amusing and something to tell her Granma.

 

[keishashadow]

I don't know what triggers it but, DS & DH have the same 1st & last name. One of them always seems to get yanked for additional attention. They do have very common first & last names - wonder if it's on the watch list.

Always have a RT tix booked w/CC & airline rewards program, w/birth cert. & photo id.

DS had to use a transport chair in Dec. due to a foot problem, they waved him & DH off to "the room"; leaving me w/all the suitcases on the belt. Yep, I backed up the line trying to get all of them off myself.

If they take part of a group off for special screening, why don't they give assistance to the person left "holding" the bags?grrrrr

 

[nliedel]

I get pulled frequently and I usually buy round trip tickets. It is not a big deal at all. I just get there early and bring a good book.

 

[Cookie55]

I've done the one way thing multiple times to pick up or drop off my son at Georgia Tech, i.e. drive one way/fly the other, and I have never had any problems...I too had read about being flagged but it has never happened to me..

 

[kaytieeldr]

I too have heard the rumors about one-way passengers being subject to extra scrutiny, but like tjmw2727, I often fly Jet Blue one way and Song the other. While I have been wanded and/or patted down in the past, it's had absolutely nothing to do with my ticket. One time I was in a wheelchair and that airport (forget which) lets passengers through security while remaining in the chair; another time I set off the alarm (keys in my pocket); a third time was entirely random, especially given that I was flying both ways on a single airline
On the other hand, another time I accidentally happened to approach security with the remote control for my apartment building's front door (long story) and showed it to the agent before the screening thingie. He said just to stick it back in my pocket
At any rate, in no case did it ever take me more than an additional ten minutes, and the TSA agents are extremely polite.

 

[Onceler]

A couple years ago I was flying on the return portion of a round-trip flight. The plane that I was supposed to fly on had been delayed to the point where I was not going to make a connecting flight so the airline found a seat for me on another airline. So I ended up with a one-way ticket, technicaly purchased at the last minute, to the Baltimore-Washington area. So that raised a few red flags which got me pulled over for the special screening.

The special screening itself wasn't bad. First they did a pass with the hand wand. Then they searched my backpack including every pocket. The ITA person was friendly about it and it took less than 5 minutes.

To the OP: don't hesitate to get a one-way ticket. There are supposedly several factors that can raise red flags. A one-way ticket is only one of them and by itself may not be enough to get your child pulled over for the special screening. Even if it does happen, the process is not a big deal.

 

[Lewisc]

Special screening means checked and carryon luggage will be carefully searched. Have him pack light, maybe you should consider taking most of his luggage.

Buy the ticket with a credit card, don't buy at the very last minute and have him sign up for the airlines frequent flyer program even if you know he won't fly enough to get a free ticket.

 

[DVC-Don]

Over the past 3 years I've flown 3 times on a one way ticket. Each time I got the "Special" screening. I've also flown a bunch of times on roundtrip tickets during the same time period and only once got the "Special" screening, actually all 4 of us on the same ticket got it.

Special has just meant walking through the metal detector, then being taken to a separate area and then wanded, handing over my belt to be inspected, shoes looked into and wiped, carry on bag being gone through by hand. Really does not take long.

 

[rockin_rep]

Special screening means checked and carryon luggage will be carefully searched. Have him pack light, maybe you should consider taking most of his luggage.

Buy the ticket with a credit card, don't buy at the very last minute and have him sign up for the airlines frequent flyer program even if you know he won't fly enough to get a free ticket.

I understood *special screening* but another poster mentioned *advanced* special screening.

This would also be a ticket from MY frequent flyer miles; will that help?

And btw, to the poster who thought i was overly concerned, as you can see by the many similar replies, many have heard similar *stories*. I myself am a savvy, seasoned traveler and would also hope NOT to endure what i've heard! Eww.

Which is why i'm slighty concerned about a 19 y/o daughter (not son) who while independent, intelligent and street smart, has in the past only flown round trip.

Thanks so much everyone, for your replies!

 

[Lewisc]

I understood *special screening* but another poster mentioned *advanced* special screening.

This would also be a ticket from MY frequent flyer miles; will that help?

And btw, to the poster who thought i was overly concerned, as you can see by the many similar replies, many have heard similar *stories*. I myself am a savvy, seasoned traveler and would also hope NOT to endure what i've heard! Eww.

Which is why i'm slighty concerned about a 19 y/o daughter (not son) who while independent, intelligent and street smart, has in the past only flown round trip.

Thanks so much everyone, for your replies!

I didn't realize you're buying a ticket for your daughter. If the metal detector goes off she'll be all but strip searched to determine what is setting it off. If possible suggest she remove any hidden piercings and try not to wear a bra with underwire support or any other clothing with metal. Don't wear a top with studs or a big metal belt.

 

[CarolA]

I wear an underwire bra EVERY time and I have NEVER set the detector off. So I wouldn' worry about that. I have also set off the metal dectector and would call the search no were NEAR a strip search..... It's done in public so you are NOT strip searched.....

 

[Lewisc]

I wear an underwire bra EVERY time and I have NEVER set the detector off. So I wouldn' worry about that. I have also set off the metal dectector and would call the search no were NEAR a strip search..... It's done in public so you are NOT strip searched.....

Carol--A SSS passenger who sets off the metal detector is handled differently than a regular passenger who sets off the metal detector. I said all but strip searched, some screening areas have a curtained off area to handle passengers that need additional searching.

I'd still suggest a SSS passenger, a giveway is if SW won't issue an advance BP, be very careful not to have any metal.

 

[mcnuss]

I understood *special screening* but another poster mentioned *advanced* special screening.

This would also be a ticket from MY frequent flyer miles; will that help?

And btw, to the poster who thought i was overly concerned, as you can see by the many similar replies, many have heard similar *stories*. I myself am a savvy, seasoned traveler and would also hope NOT to endure what i've heard! Eww.

Which is why i'm slighty concerned about a 19 y/o daughter (not son) who while independent, intelligent and street smart, has in the past only flown round trip.

Thanks so much everyone, for your replies!

There seem to be as many *stories* that support your contention that somehow a one-way ticket is the trigger as there are that don't. Bottom line is that it can happen and you can't control it. Nothing you can do will affect the outcome. If she's going to get stopped, she's going to get stopped, so I think you should proceed with your original plan.

ps: I have gone thru security at airports all over the US and Canada always wearing underwire and it has never caused it to beep. I actually do not think that there are too many underwire bras anymore that employ metal wire as the lifting device!