31-07-2025
Brits urged to check boarding pass for crucial detail - or risk being turned away from flight
With summer travel reaching its peak, plane passengers are being urged to check a crucial detail on their boarding pass at the airport - or risk being denied boarding.
Brits should be paying close attention to a code commonly displayed - and often ignored - on valid boarding cards, known as an 'SEQ'.
During overbooked flights - a common occurrence during peak periods - airlines may need to deny boarding to some passengers.
In such cases, they use check-in order as a factor in deciding who gets turned away from the plane, with later check-ins often considered for denial.
This is where a 'SEQ' number comes into play - essentially a three-digit number that indicates your 'sequence' or the order in which you checked in for your flight.
Hadleigh Diamond, luxury airport chauffeur provider at SCS Chauffeurs, explains: 'A SEQ of 001 means you were the first to check in; 152 means you were the 152nd.
'While it doesn't affect your seat assignment or boarding group, it's crucial during overbooked flights, especially on budget airlines.'
More than 6 million passengers across the globe were denied boarding last year, with many unaware that checking in early may have guaranteed them their seat, as reported by the UK Civil Aviation Authority.
Hadleigh adds: 'Airlines tend to overbook flights as not all passengers turn up on the day.
'When a flight is so overbooked that passengers are denied boarding or offloaded, the airline will usually ask for volunteers. But if no-one comes forward, each airline will deny boarding to passengers in line with its own policies.'
Solo travellers, passengers flying without luggage, or individuals who paid the 'lowest fare' are also warned that they may be more likely to be considered for denial.
To reduce the risk of being turned away, Hadleigh encourages passengers to check in as early as possible, keep an eye out for 'SEQ' codes on boarding cards and refrain from assuming a booked seat guarantees a space on the plane.
He further warns: 'If you're flying with friends or family, make sure everyone checks in together to avoid getting split up by the SEQ system. In worst-case scenarios, some members may board while others are denied.'
Meanwhile, a travel expert has gone viral after revealing the meaning behind the dreaded 'SSSS' printed on some boarding passes - a code that can lead to extra TSA screening and major airport delays.
Chloe Jade Meltzer, 30, who has visited over 156 countries, was flying from Germany to New York when she noticed the four letters on her ticket.
It stands for Secondary Security Screening Selection, a designation she says is 'a pain to deal with' and most often applies to flights heading into the United States.
'Basically, it means that you've been flagged for extra security checks before you can board your flight,' she explained.
'This is always related to flying into the United States, and it's usually for international travel.'
Meltzer has traveled to more than 156 countries and admitted she receives tickets with 'quadruple S' quite often.
'The first few times that you get it it can feel a bit daunting or scary. Especially if you are someone who is not a US citizen and you are about to fly into the United States,' she wrote on TikTok.
