Secure Flight is a program developed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in response to a key 9/11 Commission recommendation: uniform watch list matching by TSA. The mission of the Secure Flight program is to enhance the security of domestic and international commercial air travel through the use of improved watch list matching.
Secure Flight will conduct uniform prescreening of passenger information against federal government watch lists for domestic and international flights. TSA will take over this responsibility from aircraft operators who, up until now, have been responsible for checking passengers against government watch lists. Secure Flight passenger watch list matching will apply to all domestic and international passengers traveling on covered aircraft operator flights into, out of, within or over the United States. Secure Flight will also apply to point-to-point international flights operated by U.S.-based aircraft operators.
The initial implementation phase of Secure Flight will result in the complete transfer of responsibility for passenger watch list matching to TSA from aircraft operators whose flights operate within the United States. The second phase of Secure Flight will result in the transfer of responsibility for passenger watch list matching to TSA for flights into, out of, and over the United States to TSA.
By assuming watch list matching responsibilities from the airlines, TSA will:
- Decrease the chance for compromised watch list data by limiting its distribution
- Provide earlier identification of potential matches, allowing for expedited notification of law enforcement and threat management
- Provide a fair, equitable, and consistent matching process across all airlines
- Reduce instances of misidentified individuals
- Offer consistent application of an expedited and integrated redress process for misidentified individuals via the Department of Homeland Security's Travel Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP)
Click here to learn more: http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/secureflight/index.shtm
More Information
Secure Flight Final Rule Fact Sheet
Secure Flight Final Rule Press Release from the Department of Homeland Security (10/22/08)
Secure Flight Passenger Definitions
Press Release: 03/31/09 - Secure Flight Implementation (from the TSA)
Webinar: 04/22/09 - Secure Flight | Responses to Secure Flight Questions
May 12, 2009 - Secure Flight Information Bulletin
Presentation: Secure Flight - 2009 GBTA Convention Education Session
Communications Toolkit
TSA has provided a number of items for the public to use to spread the word on this issue. The Toolkit items include:
- Signage that may be posted at ticket counters, information kiosks, or other places
- Boarding Pass Stuffers that can be placed in ticket envelopes or distributed to passengers
- Letters to customers that may be emailed or printed in in-flight magazines
- Secure Flight overview information and additional tools for aircraft operators to use on their Web sites
Click here to view and download these items