Not That "Phase One" Was All That Great...

It's that time of year when we start seeing all the back-to-school advertising, but the TSA has another important upcoming date it wants you to keep in mind. This Saturday, August 15th, is the start of Phase II of the program known as Secure Flight.

There's plenty of reason to question the efficacy of much of what the TSA does, but this is one measure that may actually help good guys get through airports faster, and bad guys get the attention they deserve. In a nutshell, starting Saturday, when you book your flight, you'll be required to provide your date of birth, sex, and your name in a form which exactly matches the picture ID you'll present at the airport.
 
The TSA says this step will help it fulfill its congressional mandate to vet 100 percent of domestic passengers against its watch lists by early next year, and 100 percent of international passengers by the end of next year.
 
From the traveler's standpoint, it means a reduction in false positives which have resulted in repeated hassling of passengers with names similar to terror suspects. For example, a Presbyterian Defense Department employee with a security clearance whose parents happened to name him Benjamin Laden will no longer hear snapping rubber gloves everytime he visits the airport.

The important thing to remember is to make sure your reservation name exactly matches your drivers license, passport, or other government-issued ID, including middle name or initial, when you book your ticket.

FMI: www.tsa.gov