I am cuurently wondering if - in view of the current high security alerts at airports etc that we will now find the unopened brown envelope we all have to carry will be subject to scrutiny and possible that airport officials will be wanting to open it?... would be interested to know what people are experiencing at the airport - i am due to fly in approx 2 weeks - and am aware that the brown envelope has to remain sealed until opened at POE but can equally see why departure security may be interested in it...any opinions or shared experiences?

I wondered when I came over last year if security might want to open the envelope.

If they do want to open it all you can do is explain what is inside and point out the directions printed on the envelope. If they insist on opening ask that a supervisor provides a written explanation to give to US immigration at point of entry.

Having worked at Heathrow on security related matters there is in fact no need for the envelope to be opened as it can quite easily be examined via an x-ray machine. However knowing the clowns that BAA employ as security staff if one of them gets it into their head to open it they probably will just to prove they can.

Catch 22 is they can only open it with your consent, but if you don't give it your don't fly.

If it is security staff employed by the airline doing secondary searching at the gate, or check in, and they insist on opening it ask them to call the airlines Duty Security Manager and explain to him or her what it is. They will almost certainly let you take it without opening it.

At Heathrow which has had heightened security many times I don't ever recall hearing of an envelope being opened and I doubt in reality anyone would experience a problem. If you do just remain calm and polite.

The officer at my POE (Dulles) did mention that security staff CAN open the envelope and also said it wouldn't have made a difference.
If they INSISTED on opening it, I would take the name and number of the manager you dealt with and keep it just in case the POE officers gave you any problems.