The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced last week that it has started the Secure Flight program, a program that transfers the management of pre-departure watch list matching from individual aircraft operators to TSA. As of March 31, 2009, TSA has taken over watch list matching responsibilities for passengers on domestic commercial flights for four aircraft operators. The management of these lists for additional operators will be shifted to TSA in the coming months.

"The implementation of Secure Flight is a critical step towards mitigating threats we know exist in our aviation system," said Gale Rossides, acting administrator of TSA. "Secure Flight improves security and protects passenger privacy and civil liberties by ensuring the confidentiality of government watch list matching protocols."

Under the Secure Flight program, airlines will collect a passenger’s full name, date of birth, and gender when making an airline reservation. TSA then determines whether that passenger is a match to the No Fly or Selectee lists. This, according to TSA, ensures that the program provides a fair and consistent matching process across all airlines.

Travelers that feel they have been incorrectly matched to either of these lists are encouraged to seek redress through the Department of Homeland Security’s Traveler Redress Inquiry program. More information about this program is available online at www.dhs.gov/trip.