USA-Bound Flight Security Procedures

Listed below is a catalog of the security procedures for U.S.-bound flights at international airports I've passed through starting in Fall 2003 (once the 9/11 hysteria had largely subsided and more standardized procedures started to replace the ad hoc patches that were in place). This catalog also includes flights on U.S.-based carriers within a foreign country or between two foreign countries. All procedures are accurate as of the time I made the trip. I make no warranties as to what are currently in place.

For ease of reading, I define the following terms ahead of time:
WTMD: Walk-through metal detector. Assume no special procedures, e.g. shoe removal, unless otherwise specified.
X-ray machine: The standard machine we all know and love. Procedure may require separate inspection of laptop computer, liquid bag, etc.
Wanding: Personal inspection with handheld metal detector.
Patdown: Personal inspection by hand, unassisted by tools.
Secondary: Manual inspection of hand luggage. Unless otherwise specified as cursory, involves unpacking and repacking of luggage.
Gate-specific: Individual control point for specific gate with dedicated, segregated gate lounge.
Interview: Passengers questioned about destination, purpose of travel, length of stay, contents and/or control of luggage, etc.

Frankfurt-Main T1 (Nov. 2003, Transit Austria to USA, Lufthansa)
Additional security checkpoint for area of terminal reserved for USA flights. All passengers must show boarding pass, send hand luggage through x-ray machine, and submit to wanding/patdown. Checked luggage was screened in Frankfurt (though it was checked through to final destination and did not need to be reclaimed).

Paris-Roissy/Charles De Gaulle T1 (Jan. 2004, To USA, United)
Interview by airline-hired private security personnel to enter check-in area, x-ray and WTMD at entry to cluster of gates (all for USA flights), further interview by private security personnel before entering jetway, with some passengers sent to table for manual inspection of luggage and wanding.

Auckland-Jean Batten (Nov. 2004, To USA, Air New Zealand)
Standard WTMD and x-ray to enter airside area, additional checkpoint to enter area reserved for USA flights with another WTMD and x-ray (procedures no different than original checkpoint). After clearing checkpoint, some passengers pulled for manual inspection of luggage.

Madrid-Barajas (Jan. 2005, To USA, US Airways)
Interview by airline-hired private security personnel before checking in. X-ray and WTMD to enter airside area. Further interview by private security personnel before entering jetway. Separate security officer pulled passengers for manual inspection of luggage and wanding.

Amsterdam-Schiphol (Mar. 2005, Transit Spain to USA, Northwest)
Interview by airline-hired private security personnel before being allowed into gate area. Gate-specific WTMD and x-ray machine. Jackets needed to be removed (not required at checkpoint for intra-EU flights). No secondary inspection observed.

Frankfurt-Main T1 (Aug. 2005, To USA, Lufthansa)
Standard x-ray and WTMD to enter airside area. Additional security checkpoint for area of terminal reserved for USA flights. All passengers must show boarding pass, send hand luggage through x-ray machine, and submit to wanding/patdown. Checked luggage was screened in Frankfurt (though it was checked through to final destination and did not need to be reclaimed).

Sao Paolo-Guarulhos (Aug. 2005, Transit USA to Rio de Janeiro, United)
Passengers discharged into segregated arrivals passageway. X-ray and WTMD to reenter airside area. Interview by airline staff while on jetway. Secondary inspection table present but not in use.

Rio de Janeiro-Galeao/Antonio Carlos (Tom) Jobim (Aug. 2005, To USA via Sao Paolo, United)
Interview by airline staff before checking in. X-ray and WTMD to enter airside area. Further interview by airline staff while on jetway. Secondary inspection table present but not in use.

Sao Paolo-Guarulhos (Aug. 2005, Transit Rio de Janeiro to USA, United)
Passengers discharged into segregated arrivals passageway. X-ray and WTMD to reenter airside area. Interview by airline staff while on jetway (displaying boarding pass indicating through passage from Rio gets passengers waved through questioning). Two tables for secondary inspection present.

Vienna-Schwechat (Jan. 2006, To USA, Austrian)
Gate-specific security checkpoint with x-ray and WTMD, followed by cursory patdown for all passengers. Screened-off secondary inspection area present.

Osaka-Kansai (Apr. 2006, To USA, United)
X-ray for all luggage (checked and carry-on) to enter check-in area, with secondary inspection table present. Standard x-ray and WTMD to enter airside area, with shoe removal for passengers who alarm. Boarding pass check to enter area cordoned off for USA flights, with secondary inspection table present.

Toronto-Pearson (Jun. 2006, Transit United Kingdom to USA, Air Canada)
Transit passengers clear Canadian passport control and proceed to USA connections baggage claim. After boarding pass check, passengers (with checked luggage) must proceed through USA Customs and Border Protection pre-clearance, with passport control and interview followed by collection of customs declaration forms. Conveyor belt drop-off for checked luggage, followed by x-ray and WTMD with shoe removal.

Hong Kong-Chep Lap Kok (Mar. 2007, Transit USA to Singapore, United)
Passengers discharged into segregated arrivals passage. Standard x-ray and WTMD at security checkpoint for transit passengers. Cursory manual inspection of all hand luggage on jetway. Some passengers sent for wanding after hand luggage inspection.

Singapore-Changi (Mar. 2007, To USA via Japan, Singapore)
Gate-specific security checkpoint with standard x-ray and WTMD. Document authenticity check by government official after security.

Tokyo-Narita (Mar. 2007, Transit Singapore to USA, Singapore)
Passengers discharged into segregated arrivals passage. Standard x-ray and WTMD at security checkpoint for transit passengers. Some passengers pulled for secondary inspection before entering jetway.

Toronto-Pearson (May 2007, Transit Canada to USA, Air Canada)
Transit passengers enter USA connections baggage claim. After luggage tag check, passengers (with checked luggage) must proceed through USA Customs and Border Protection pre-clearance, with passport control and interview followed by collection of customs declaration forms. Conveyor belt drop-off for checked luggage, followed by x-ray and WTMD with shoe removal.

Halifax-Stanfield (Sep. 2007, Transit United Kingdom to USA, Air Canada)
Transit passengers clear Canadian passport control and proceed to USA departures area. Luggage is through-checked. After boarding pass check, security checkpoint with x-ray and WTMD with shoe removal. All passengers must proceed through USA Customs and Border Protection pre-clearance with passport control and interview.

Munich-Franz Joseph Strauss (Jan. 2008, To USA, Lufthansa)
Standard security checkpoint with x-ray and WTMD to enter airside area. Boarding pass check to enter area of terminal reserved for USA flights (non-USA citizens must supply Advance Passenger Information System data at this point), followed by additional, standard security checkpoint with x-ray and WTMD.