New TSA Program Aims to Enhance Airport, Flight Safety

 

A new program of the U.S. Transportation Security Administration was the subject of a Privacy Impact Assessment of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, according to a published report.

The Pre[check] Program is in operation alongside the Trusted Traveler programs of Customs and Border Protection. It permits eligible service members of the U.S. armed forces to proceed through screening more rapidly, despite the TSA still being free to implement enhanced screening at random.

"Generally this screening has been designed to identify and prevent known or suspected terrorists or other individuals from gaining access to airports and airplanes where they may jeopardize the lives of passengers and others," states the PIA update. "To identify those who present a threat to aviation security, the Secure Flight program compares passenger and non-traveler information to the No Fly and Selectee List components of the Terrorist Screening Center Database (TSDB) and, when warranted by security considerations, other watch lists maintained by TSA or other federal agencies."

The TSA is probing whether widening allowances to holders of top secret security clearance is feasible, the publication reports.

The new TSA program, which works with Delta Air Lines and American Airlines, is expanding across the nation.