Mon, Aug 10, 2009
Not That "Phase One" Was All That Great...
It's that time of year when we start seeing all the
back-to-school advertising, but the TSA has another important
upcoming date it wants you to keep in mind. This Saturday, August
15th, is the start of Phase II of the program known as Secure
Flight.
There's plenty of reason to question the efficacy of much of
what the TSA does, but this is one measure that may actually help
good guys get through airports faster, and bad guys get the
attention they deserve. In a nutshell, starting Saturday, when you
book your flight, you'll be required to provide your date of birth,
sex, and your name in a form which exactly matches the picture ID
you'll present at the airport.
The TSA says this step will help it fulfill its congressional
mandate to vet 100 percent of domestic passengers against its watch
lists by early next year, and 100 percent of international
passengers by the end of next year.
From the traveler's standpoint, it means a reduction in false
positives which have resulted in repeated hassling of passengers
with names similar to terror suspects. For example, a Presbyterian
Defense Department employee with a security clearance whose parents
happened to name him Benjamin Laden will no longer hear snapping
rubber gloves everytime he visits the airport.
The important thing to remember is to
make sure your reservation name exactly matches your drivers
license, passport, or other government-issued ID, including middle
name or initial, when you book your ticket.
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