Soon, United States air travelers will be asked to give more information when booking flights. Instead of the first initial and last name that is required now, we will soon be asked to give our full legal names as well as a birthdate. Passenger lists can then be cross reference anti-terrorist watch lists to help prevent another 9/11 disaster.
At first the additional information will be optional, but if you fail to give it, you’re at a much greater risk to be stopped for additional interviewing or additional pat-down screening.
Two airlines are doing this now, with the others to follow within the next 18 months. I’m guessing that AirTran isn’t one of the two airlines, as I have not been asked for this information on any of my recent flights.
I have never been the victim of additional screening measures at the airport and for that, I am thankful. I will continue to supply whatever information is necessary to keep me out of the interrogation rooms or the pat-downs by random TSA agents.
I say that with one caveat, it seems that the TSA is toying with asking for credit information. That is one thing I will not supply. It is not any government officials business what my credit history is, and I certainly wouldn’t want them running me through Equifax, Experian, or Trans Union every time I fly. Talk about ruining your credit rating!
What exactly would a credit report reveal anyway? It’s a report on credit, not all my banking information. That’s what they really should be after. Looking for someone taking a payoff in order to do something nasty.
How would you feel if you were told you cannot board a flight if your name “resembles” that of a known terrorist? Some passengers have been told this. How would you go about proving your innocence? It is a sad state of affairs when you have to prove your innocence to board an airplane. A sad state indeed.
27/05/2005 at 11:44 am Permalink
It’s bullshit. Complete and utter bullshit.
Also, Michele sent me.
27/05/2005 at 11:57 am Permalink
Ah yes…the delightful PATRIOT ACT.
Here via Michele’s M&G… but I’ll stick around awhile…
27/05/2005 at 12:11 pm Permalink
can someone say….STOP THE INSANITY…
here from micheles
i will be back…
Lu
27/05/2005 at 12:53 pm Permalink
Hey there, here via Michele, interesting place you have here…gonna snoop around!
27/05/2005 at 12:57 pm Permalink
As a (amateur) pilot, I can tell you there’s no love lost for the TSA anywhere in aviation. They’d like to install metal detectors in all general aviation (non-airline) airports and have every pilot screen his or her passengers before every flight. That’s equivalent to making you install one in your garage. And for what? The average GA plane can carry no more than 4-500 pounds of cargo, not including the pilot. Nobody worries about terrorists filling a Geo Metro full of bombs, do they?
It’s all about playing on the public’s perceived fear. Which, coincidentally, is exactly what the terrorists are trying to achieve.
Anyway, Michele sent me.
27/05/2005 at 12:58 pm Permalink
That totally is the worst. It would ruin a CR. Total BS.
Hi from Michele’s!
27/05/2005 at 12:59 pm Permalink
Thanks for popping by from Michelles - returning the honour
27/05/2005 at 1:02 pm Permalink
Hello, Michele sent me!
27/05/2005 at 1:15 pm Permalink
Heck, they aren’t even checking 18-wheelers yet, and barely going through cargo ships. I don’t believe the next terrorist attack will be by air, so I think they should chill a little before it becomes a military occupation of our airports.
27/05/2005 at 1:44 pm Permalink
I would be very upset if I was told I could not board an airplane because of my name. I do not mind giving my full name and birthdate to them, however, I will not give my Soc. Security #!
Michele sent me.
27/05/2005 at 1:52 pm Permalink
I have a couple of flights coming up this summer so I guess I’ll find out. Won’t be too happy if I get pulled into an interrogation room. I just keep thinking there must be a better way but certainly don’t know what that is either.
Anyway, came over via Michele’s! Nice meeting you.
27/05/2005 at 3:18 pm Permalink
Hi. I came over from Michele’s place to ruin your credit rating. Wait…no, I came over from Michele’s place to give you credit for being a good writer. Yes, that’s what it is.
(How come everywhere I go on the internet people were for Bo, and he lost? Which, of course, is good, from the standpoint of Carrie and me.)
27/05/2005 at 3:19 pm Permalink
yeah, and the national id card (Real ID) is next (already approved), soon to be followed by the verichip. we will soon be forced to be robots or outlaws…i’ll be running for the hills! here from michele’s!
27/05/2005 at 3:24 pm Permalink
I haven’t been hassled much while flying, except for having to remove my shoes all the time. But then, I am a white woman. I would hate to be a middle-eastern-looking man getting on a flight. It must be very difficult to be innocent but treated as guilty.
Michele sent me, by the way!
27/05/2005 at 3:34 pm Permalink
OHS - No! Not my credit rating! Anything but that! I’m not quite sure how Bo lost, I managed to vote for him 152 times. I won’t tell you how, I have may ways.
Millenniumhipppies - I hadn’t heard that the RealCard bill passed! When did that crap happen? After the verichip, Skynet will become self-aware.
TJG - Removing the shoes is kind of annoying… you should read my previous rants on that. I wonder why it’s only the smaller airports I have to do that at.
All who stopped by from Michele’s - Thanks for stopping by, hope to see you again here soon!