Confidential Passenger Data Used for Air Security Project

Washington Post ^ | 1-17-04 | Sara Kehaulani Goo

[dogbyte12]

Northwest Airlines provided information on millions of passengers for a secret U.S. government air security project soon after the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks, raising fresh concerns among some privacy advocates about the airlines' use of confidential consumer data.

nation's fourth-largest carrier publicly asserted in September that it "did not provide that type of information to anyone." But Northwest acknowledged Friday it had already turned over three months of reservation data to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Ames Research Center by that point.

[dogbyte12]

Jet Blue got caught doing this earlier. Now Northwest actually got caught lying. Debate the merits of this, but Northwest by lying has lost me as a customer for a long time.

[basil]

They've all lost me--except I do have an American flight into Reagan International for CPAC. I wonder if I took out now, I could walk there--LOL!

[over3Owithabrain]

They are not trying to stop anyone from flying except the terrorists.

[eno_]

An airline lie? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[eno_]

I must be a terrorist. They cut my flying by 3/4. May they rot in hell.

[over3Owithabrain]

Can you please explain how "they" cut your flying by 3/4? And I don't mean because you were inconvenienced, I mean where "they" actually told you specifically not to fly or refuse boarding.

[eno_]

You really don't get the sarcasm thing, eh? And "inconvenienced" doesn't even scratch the surface.

I get frisked by subnormals who don't have the personal hygene to work in food service. Nor have they one onehundreth the training it takes to actually spot a terrorist.

I get lied to EVEN MORE OFTEN than before 9/11, as incredible as that may sound. Even I did not think it could get any worse.

I get herded into crowded planes that now fly sparse schedules. Wait to fly. Wait to get frisked. Wait for my bags at least as long as when many more bags were being handled. And, no doubt, the food waits longer and gets even more awful.

The message is very clear: DON'T FLY, IT SUCKS.

[joesnuffy]

NASA another alphabet police agency?

[oceanview]

there is no constitutional right to fly on a plane anonymously.

[znix]

Is it just me, or is the most shocking information in this story the involvement of NASA? I suppose the Department of Agriculture is researching photon torpedoes.

[eno_]

Name one unenumered right.

Yeah, didn't think so.

OK, now how about this one: Can police demand ID if you are not suspected of a crime? And why is that?

[Doctor Stochastic]

Can police demand ID if you are not suspected of a crime? And why is that?

Yes, because:

We are At War now.
Do no wrong, Nothing to Fear.
It's for The Children.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Prior to 9-11, most airlines were already on a track toward self-inflicted suicide due to abysmal customer service (I assume there is no need to list transgressions).

Following 9-11, and the involvement of the Federal Government in airline operations, things have only (and predictably) become far worse. As you suggested, insult-to-injury comes in the form of being subjected to the poking and prodding of moronic Federal employees who would obviously be better suited to herding farm animals.

Once widely traveled, I now fly only on business and to attend funerals.

[oceanview]

the constitution is not a suicide pact. you want freedom to travel anonymously - walk.

[oceanview]

sure, its more of a hassle.

are you seriously saying that security before 9/11 was better? the airlines outsourced all their "security" operations to the lowest bidder, they hired even dumber screeners, had no background checks on them at all, etc. That was a good system?

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

It was bad then. worse now.

[VRWC For Truth]

We now have the same dumb screeners as big gubmint job for life employees. It's only safer in your mind. Two armed pilots will provide as much security as what we have today at a far less cost. Of course the Socialists will have none of that. They are still looking for angry white male domestic terrorists when we all know the Jihadist's aren't.

[oceanview]

armed pilots will not solve the problem of shoe or body cavity bombers, it will just stop hijackings. there must be effective screening of passengers. you don't see El Al dropping screeners, even with armed marshalls.

[eno_]

For shorter trips, I drive. For overseas travel I fly foreign carriers. I minimize other flying.

When the industry collapses, they will be forced to do something differnt.

You might also look into who said that, and under what circumstances.

Trampling the Constitution leads to attitudes like mine: If the government sort of protects my rights, I'll be sort of maybe inclined to defend that government. Maybe. If it does not inconvenience me.

The TSA and the airlines can go to hell hand in hand.

[oceanview]

they are going to do something different, they are going to a system like El Al: if you've been "vetted", you fly with a limited security check, otherwise, they focus on you.

flying is a collective enterprise, its something that people do as a group, and security is needed, its not like walking down the street.