Thursday 24 April 2014

Tsa No-Fly List Search Results

By Essie Osborn


Many questions have been asked about the names of people prohibited from flying. The number keeps on changing depending on security updates provided. Conducting a TSA no-fly list search does not tell much about the person. The names indicate suspicion and are likely to be wrong in a number of ways.

Terrorists do not have name tags to identify them. This complicates matters for travel agents and security authorities. A perfect example is the fact that 9/11 attackers lived unnoticed and went on to cause so much damage and death. The people listed in some of these lists are harmless and have never been involved in any crime. Others are in trouble because their names are similar.

A person who is suspected of any crime is usually investigated and arrested. The people in the selectee lists have not been charged with any crime. This explains why the list keeps changing. The government has no evidence to link them to any criminal activities.

Only names are listed without supporting details like dates of birth or place of birth. This presents a huge dilemma to ticketing agents and security personnel. Many people may share the same name. There are no images of the accused persons either. It has led to a lot of inconvenience.

False positives are individuals whose names are similar to those listed. The scenario has been stressful especially for frequent travelers. They endure interrogation, searches and delays at various airports. This has happened several times to Senator Ted Kennedy because of the appearance of a person by the name T Kennedy.

Evidence indicates that TSA does not track the names of those listed as threats to aviation security. The reason for such a conclusion is because the same person may be stopped several times. One would expect that a single mistaken identify is enough to get your name removed. Facing similar delays and frisking on regular basis is very stressful.

A person only discovers if he is on the list or not when he encounters trouble at the airport. It is impossible to verify if you have been blacklisted before hand. Being allowed to travel could also happen if you are listed among the selectees.

Individuals with a caution on their name are not allowed to check-in through the internet, automated systems or kiosks. They must present themselves personally to the person at the counter. One can check his status through airport personnel but they are under no obligation to disclose this information.

Some individuals have managed to reduce the level of suspicion. One is required to fill the traveler identity verification form in order to reduce confusion over similarity in names. The procedure has not been effective in all cases. This has led some people to continue being treated as threats despite handing their details to the Office of Transportation Security redress.

Eliminating the name form the list is done through an appeal process. It is constitutional and simplified through the assistance of several civil societies. It saves a person from constant harassment and suspicion.




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