devil21
10-29-2009, 09:44 PM
I got an email tonite from US Airways informing that new TSA screening rules are now completely in effect, called the Secure Flight Program. The new program requires several new pieces of information during booking before you will ever be issued a boarding pass.
1. Complete full name as it appears on your gov't issued ID.
2. Birthdate
3. Gender
A link to TSA's site on the program is below. It appears quite vague overall. The stated purpose is "more reliable matching of passenger names to watch list names", thus reducing the number of people stopped for having the same name as someone on the "watch list" (NO FLY LIST). http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/secureflight/index.shtm
The Secure Flight Privacy Policy section is a JOKE! Even more vague than the program info itself. To their credit, I did manage to find a more in depth TSA privacy policy clarification section that states the system will not be used for general law enforcement purposes such as wants and warrant checks. That's assuming you can believe what they say.
http://www.tsa.gov/research/privacy/faqs.shtm
Are wrong name coincidences on the watch lists this much of a problem that EVERY passenger MUST supply this additional info to the Feds or be denied boarding entirely? Sounds to me like REAL ID data collection since the info they are requesting is on your state-issued ID and will then become Federal database info, instead of just issuing a Federal ID card.
Here's an article critical of the program for contrast from 2007.
http://www.management.travel/news.php?cid=TSA-Secure-Flight.Dec-07.05
I wonder what the next step will be.
1. Complete full name as it appears on your gov't issued ID.
2. Birthdate
3. Gender
A link to TSA's site on the program is below. It appears quite vague overall. The stated purpose is "more reliable matching of passenger names to watch list names", thus reducing the number of people stopped for having the same name as someone on the "watch list" (NO FLY LIST). http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/secureflight/index.shtm
The Secure Flight Privacy Policy section is a JOKE! Even more vague than the program info itself. To their credit, I did manage to find a more in depth TSA privacy policy clarification section that states the system will not be used for general law enforcement purposes such as wants and warrant checks. That's assuming you can believe what they say.
http://www.tsa.gov/research/privacy/faqs.shtm
Are wrong name coincidences on the watch lists this much of a problem that EVERY passenger MUST supply this additional info to the Feds or be denied boarding entirely? Sounds to me like REAL ID data collection since the info they are requesting is on your state-issued ID and will then become Federal database info, instead of just issuing a Federal ID card.
Here's an article critical of the program for contrast from 2007.
http://www.management.travel/news.php?cid=TSA-Secure-Flight.Dec-07.05
I wonder what the next step will be.