New passenger ID system planned

The Transportation Security Administration plans to begin using a new computerized airline passenger identification system next summer despite efforts in Congress this week to require a more thorough review of privacy issues.

Under the system, airline passengers must provide more complete background information about themselves to buy a ticket, including their names, addresses, phone numbers and dates of birth.

Airline ticketing and reservations systems would transmit the information to a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) computer database, which would search for indicators of a terrorist.

The agency chief, retired Adm. James Loy, announced yesterday he would appoint an independent committee of citizens to monitor his agency’s handling of privacy issues. He also said passengers could appeal to the committee to resolve their complaints when they believe their privacy was invaded.

He made the announcement at a press briefing one day after a General Accounting Office report criticized the TSA for lax training and job skills among airport-security screeners.

In addition, on Wednesday a congressional conference committee suggested delaying the start date of the new passenger-screening system until a congressional review determines the system is effective without trampling privacy.

“This is an important endeavor for homeland security. But there are many troubling questions raised by such a system, not least of which is what information will the government use to determine threat level,” said Sen. Robert C. Byrd, West Virginia Democrat.

The TSA is testing the Computer-Assisted Passenger Prescreening System (CAPPS II) with “dummy data” before using it in airports nationwide next summer.

Current reservations systems vary among airlines. Some require only names and addresses. Others also require telephone numbers. None requires date of birth.

The TSA computer system uses secret mathematical algorithms to root out fake identifications and to give a statistical likelihood a passenger is a terrorist risk.

“The final risk assessment score is what we’re really interested in,” Adm. Loy said.

CAPPS II is the second version of an earlier system used primarily for identifying high-risk cargo.

The passenger advocacy desk should help alleviate the concerns of Congress and privacy groups, TSA spokesman Brian Turmail said.

“It’s an acknowledgement that some people might not trust their privacy to just the TSA or CAPPS II,” he said.

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