Saturday, March 04, 2006

Can this be right?

According to Aviation International News a company named Aviation Technologies has announced software to help check "air passenger and employee names against Transportation Security Administration (TSA) 'no-fly' and 'selectee no-fly cleared' and 'selectee cleared' watch-lists. Those lists now total more than 120,000 people, most of whom are barred from flying or for whom additional security measures are necessary. Two other lists comprise those who have been cleared to fly or for whom no additional security measures are required." That is a lot of people.

The vendor explains that airlines and charter operators are required to download TSA created lists daily to run the checks. But get this: "It's the responsibility of the user to decide whether an individual whose name appears on the no-fly or selectee list is allowed to board the aircraft." Does that really mean that each airline is figuring out what to do if the names match? The government can't expect anyone to take this no fly list rigmarole very seriously. One more indication that it is all just Theater of Fear.

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