Color Coding For Air Travelers; Government-Run System Will Replace Airline-Administered Program

Associated Press ^ | 09-09-03

[Brian S]

WASHINGTON -- The government already has color-coded terror alerts -- now it's preparing to color-code air travelers.

According to The Washington Post, the government and airlines will phase in a computer system next year to measure the risk posed by every passenger who boards a flight in the United States. Passengers will be assigned one of three codes, based in part on their travel plans, traveling companions and the date the ticket was purchased.

Sources said those coded "green" will easily pass through security checkpoints. Others will be coded "yellow" and face additional screening. An estimated 1-2 percent who get "red" coding will be barred from boarding and face police questioning. They may be arrested.

The system is called the Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System, or CAPPS II. CAPPS II replaces the initial CAPPS program, which was administered by the airlines under federal guidelines. The new program will be a government-run system.

According to the Transportation Security Administration, CAPPS II will use information that passengers provide when making reservations to confirm a traveler's identity and assess a risk level. The passenger's name will be run against commercial databases and a score indicating a confidence level in that passenger's identity will be returned.

The TSA said that for most passengers, the information collected will be deleted soon after the trip is safely completed. For people deemed to be a high risk, the length of time the information will be kept is still under consideration.

Critics fear the new system will be far too intrusive and that some people will be mistakenly "flagged" and even falsely arrested.

The TSA said in late July the system could take six months to test and implement.

[Mike4Freedom]

Who can you sue if you are denied boarding and suffer financial consequences such as non-refundable fares, lost business opportunities at your destination, etc?

I am sure that the government will invoke sovereign immunity and tell you "tough luck".

The Police State takes another giant step.

[WestPacSailor]

[smokeyb]

The passenger's name will be run against commercial databases

...Credit card purchases, discount cards, supermarket cards, etc........Welcome to America, KGB style.

[WestPacSailor]

The TSA said that for most passengers, the information collected will be deleted soon after the trip is safely completed. For people deemed to be a high risk, the length of time the information will be kept is still under consideration.

Keywords here apper to be most, soon after the trip, and people deemed high risk.

I wonder who makes this determination.

[AdamSelene235]

Odd that we must submit to an intrusive state while "our friends" the Saudis purchase nukes for Pakistan, kidnap and rape American Citizens, buy off the chairman of the 911 investigation and are issued visas no questions asked.

[Brian S]

I wonder who makes this determination.

Oh...it doesn't matter. We have the Republicans in charge.

There is nothing to fear (but government...itself)!

And Now, your "papers" please.

[StatesEnemy]

Amazing... all this confiscation of liberty and privacy in response to boxcutters.

But not one authoritative demand to shore our borders...

Our "Government" is derelict in its duties.

[nmh]

What is the criteria for the "yellow", "green" and "red" coding? Sounds like another disaster ... GOVERNMENT idiots with more power ... and not getting it right.

[LizardQueen]

It's the "Garanimals" approach to airline security.

Meanwhile, the Saudis run free through the borders and no one locks the construction gates at the airports or screens the ramp workers.

Only paying customers are a threat, in their view.

LQ

[nmh]

I just asked my spouse about this - coding scheme. I was told that eating habits and flight patterns determine the risk and translate to a color. This is ridiculous. It's time to stop inconveniencing everyone and code ARAB types as RED and leave others alone.

[Brian S]

Knock it off. You should feel safer and be "grateful" to your government for protecting you. You need "them" more than they need you!!! /sarcasm off

[nmh]

I just asked my spouse about this - coding scheme. I was told that eating habits and flight patterns determine the risk and translate to a color. This is ridiculous. It's time to stop inconveniencing everyone and code ARAB types as RED and leave others alone.

Forgot one more thing - what they hear in YOUR conversations on the phone or internet activity. You ARE being observed whether you want it or not. Love to see what my "profile" has in it.

[Cicero]

Eating habits?

[Brian S]

Oh you leave out, the Saudis (Bin Laden's namely), get special flight restrictions lifted so they can depart the country after 9-11.

[StatesEnemy]

I really should "knock it off".

With a nom de plume like mine, I'm already "flagged"!

[StatesEnemy]

"Garanimals"

Thanks... you just wasted some Sierra Nevada pale ale (as well as 1/4 roll of 'bounty')

[adx]

I wonder who makes this determination.

Beat me to it. And we're assuming that the TSA isn't outright lying about deleting that info.

[Ben Chad]

LOL

[WoofDog123]

"An estimated 1-2 percent who get "red" coding will be barred from boarding and face police questioning. They may be arrested. "

I am trying to figure out how the number of people barred per plane is so high, unless they are assuming items like non-permission to leave the state they are in due to some conviction, outstanding warrants, etc, are going to be used to filter. What about traffic tickets?