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Current Events
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Secure Flight program to be implemented in 2009
As previously reported in CWT Traveler, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the issuance of the Secure Flight Final Rule in October 2008. Throughout 2009, the Secure Flight program will be implemented and will transfer the responsibility for pre-departure watch list matching from airlines to the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Key elements of the program:
Travelers will be required to provide full name (as shown on the government-issued identification they plan to use at the airport), date of birth, and gender when making an airline reservation.
This information will be required for each passenger, as well as for certain non-traveling individuals, such as those escorting a minor or disabled passenger to the gate.
The information is to be gathered a minimum of 72 hours before flight departure, or at the time of booking for reservations made less than 72 hours ahead of time.
Secure Flight will integrate with the Department of Homeland Security’s Travel Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP), and travelers who have a redress number should provide it at the time of booking to reduce potential misidentification issues.
At the time of publication, the TSA had not yet announced set dates by which the name/date of birth/gender data elements would become mandatory, but outlined two phases of the program as follows:
- The first phase of the program will apply to aircraft operators whose flights operate within the United States.
- Phase two of the program will apply to flights into, out of, and over the United States.
In order to ensure that all traveler identification information is consistent, travelers are advised to make sure the name on their frequent-flyer accounts matches the name on the government-issued identification they plan to use at the airport.
Additional information, including details of the Secure Flight rule and its associated Privacy Program, can be found on the TSA Web Site. The full text of the Final Rule can also be found here.
Continue to watch CWT Traveler and employer communications for additional information about this program and its impact on travelers.
Sources: tsa.gov, cnn.com, Carlson Wagonlit Travel
