TSA offers 'real solutions' or may I sell you a bridge djf

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: "Jonathan B Spira" <jspira () basex com>
Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2003 15:46:10 -0400
To: farber () cis upenn edu
Subject: TSA offers 'real solutions'


Dave, hi

I hope this is all true, but it sounds to good to be true.

/s/ Jonathan

Jonathan B. Spira
CEO and Chief Analyst
Basex
E-mail: jspira () basex com
Tel: +1 (212) 725-2600 x113

www.basex.com
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 TSA offers 'real solutions'
 By James M. Loy   
 USA Today, 25 June 2003
 Securing air travel from terrorist threats is a demanding responsibility of
the Transportation 
 Security Administration (TSA). That's why there is a no-fly list to help
keep terrorists off
 aircraft and why we are developing a second-generation Computer-Assisted
Passenger Prescreening
 System, known as CAPPS II.
 The TSA is the first to agree that our current system for prescreening
passengers is outdated,
 oftentimes resulting in frustrating delays for innocent travelers. The
result is greater  
 reliance on the list of individuals who may be a threat to aviation, based
on information from
 federal intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
 That situation presents challenges -- challenges the TSA is determined to
meet, not just grouse
 about.            
 First, a small number of travelers with names similar to those on the
no-fly list often are
 delayed when getting boarding passes. So far, we have heard from a tiny
number of the 45 million
 people who fly each month. To date, only 16 of them have sought relief from
the TSA.           
 Second, all 74 domestic airlines check passengers against the list using
procedures they    
 individually determine. The result is sometimes inconsistent application of
the procedure for  
 clearing travelers, leading to those frustrating delays.
 To address both problems, the TSA is offering real solutions.
 Short-term, the TSA has developed a way for those travelers who experience
a delay getting a  
 boarding pass to seek relief by writing our Office of the Ombudsman for
information about a new
 clearing process (e-mail ombudsman () dhs gov). In fact, airlines already have
been notified about
 several of those passengers, whose travel experiences now should be more
pleasant.          
 The long-term solution is CAPPS II, which would take routine passenger
information -- name, date
 of birth, home address and home phone number -- and check it against
private-sector databases to
 confirm a passenger's identity. The result should be a more consistent
approach to pre-screening
 passengers, improved security and less hassle for everyone.
 In developing CAPPS II, the TSA initiated a national dialogue with everyone
concerned, including
 privacy advocacy groups. The goal was to ensure that privacy is maintained
while security is  
 enhanced. In the near future, the TSA will provide additional information
about CAPPS II to  
 address public complaints and concerns. We want to have a clear written
record, against which
 the public can hold us accountable.
 When it is implemented, CAPPS II will be a carefully limited system that
reflects American  
 values. Our intent is not to be intrusive, but to stop those few people who
pose a threat. With
 both solutions, the TSA is underscoring its commitment to deliver security
and customer service
 to everyone boarding a flight.
 Adm. James M. Loy is administrator of the Transportation Security
Administration.    
 The new system will have more checks to limit mistaken identity.
                   
                   
                   




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