BOARDING a plane can be very stressful, especially if you’re not entirely certain about where you’ll be sitting get in the cabin.
That’s exactly what can happen to some people who get cryptic messages on their boarding passes instead of a seat number.
Some boarding passes tell passengers they need to see a member of staffAlamy
One code that you might see on your flight documents is “see agent” which can mean several things, not many of them positive.
Sometimes, it could be something simple, like the airline needing to check your travel documents before they can let you on board.
Conde Nast Traveller explained that this is a common reason passengers are asked to see the agents before boarding.
They wrote: “These can include everything from COVID vaccination checks to destination entry visas and passport expiration dates. If you have the right documentation, it shouldn’t be an issue to handle it at the gate and get a seat.”
However, there are other less straightforward reasons why you might need to see the airline staff.
For instance, it could mean you’re getting kicked off the plane.
Airlines will often oversell their flights to make up for passengers who book tickets, but don’t show up.
When more people show up at the airport than there are seats on the plane, some passengers have to be bumped.
However, they will be placed onto another flight and usually given some money for their trouble.
CN continued: “If the flight is oversold, the airline will ask for volunteers to take another flight first.
“If no one agrees to do that, those left without a seat assignment could be among the first to be involuntarily bumped, which includes someone with the note ‘see agent’ on their boarding pass”
“See agent” isn’t the only code that passengers should fear seeing on their boarding pass.
SSSS is another that usually means something bad for those getting on the plane.
The code stands for “Secondary Security Screening Selection” which means that the passenger has been selected for additional screening by security.
Officials will take a particular interest in you and your luggage; giving you a pat down, swabbing for explosive residue and opening up all of your bags.
They may also require extra information to prove identity and a detailed run-down of all travel plans.
Thankfully, this usually only applies if you are flying to the US, although some passengers have said they had the code on their passes when travelling to countries such as Turkey.
Meanwhile, this passenger got the SSSS code on a flight from London.
And this is what the other codes on your boarding pass mean.
GettyNot everyone with a boarding pass always gets on board the flight[/caption]