US urges airlines to step up checks of passengers

[Khephra]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US authorities urged airlines to step up their passenger security checks, after a Washington-bound Air France flight from Paris was diverted when US officials learned that a passenger was in their "no-fly" list.



US authorities asked that the Boeing 777 carrying 263 people be diverted to Bangor, in the northeastern state of Maine, late Saturday after discovering that a passenger was on the list of people deemed a security risk.


"We want the airlines to be more diligent about doing the checks," US Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security Asa Hutchinson said after a meeting with EU officials.


Hutchinson recalled that US authorities were preparing to test a new system dubbed "Secure Flight" that will allow them to compare the list of passengers with the no-fly list.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1520&ncid=1520&e=11&u=/afp/20041122/pl_afp/us_attacks_air_041122204855

[NYC Liberal]

1. The checks will be totally random...

However, all the passenegers searched will coincidentally be named "Mohammed."

[Demeter]

2. I Checked---No Passengers Here! And Soon, No Airlines!

What has Bush got against modern travel--afraid we'll all get a ticket and LEAVE????

[sui generis]

3. it's absolutely ridiculous

some people have been flying their entire lives, and they could end up on that list because they said something nasty about the pretzeldent on DU, so suddenly they're a terra-ist from one flight to the next.

Like everything else about this government, without the "selection" process being open to inspection, even when you are "on" the no-fly list they don't have to tell you why!

Your ability to move is essentially curtailed. I am certain that being on a no-fly list means great difficulty even driving across the border. Wonder what happens when they cross reference the no-fly list with mortgage applications and job interviews . . .

Want to make sure somebody pays their parking tickets? Put them on the no-fly list. Late paying your electric bill? It's the no-fly list for you buddy.

[this_side_up]

4. today's paper said that people should

be prepared to not only take off the shoes,
coats and jackets but also sweatshirts and
sweaters AND to be patted down, perferably
by same sex person whenever possible.

I'm glad we don't have the money to fly
anywhere