Thursday 1 May 2014

Tsa No-Fly List Search Procedures

By Essie Osborn


TSA releases names of people considered threats to aviation. Prohibition from flying on security grounds has raised pertinent issues on the TSA no-fly list search for frequent travelers. It has been met with skepticism considering that these are just suspects with no criminal record.

Identifying a terrorist before an act is committed is a very difficult affair. Airline agents and security apparatus have been unable to do this for years. 9/11 proved that terrorists can live among people without being detected and still manage to perform heinous acts. People listed by the aviation safety regulators are sometime harmless. Others have names similar to listed individuals.

Real suspects are dealt with through investigation and arrest. This only happens where evidence can be presented. There is no evidence of any nature for those listed. This justifies the fact that they roam freely and have not recorded any statements about criminal involvement. They are suspects or people with similar names as the real suspects. No record can prove their guilt.

The listing does not come with other details such as place of birth or the date. Such details would help ticketing agents to fully identify the person at the counter. Some have been suspected yet they only share one name or even initials. This is inconveniencing to many people.

Travel delays are very disturbing to those identified as false positives. They are often stopped in airports, searched, interrogated and in the process delayed from travel. One personality who has suffered such an ordeal is Senator Ted Kennedy who was mistake for T Kennedy and delayed several times because of this similarity.

TSA has failed to keep track of the people listed on this platform. This has caused numerous people to be delayed time and again. The fact that the search and frisking are repeated indicates a fault with the system of including the names. A frequent flier would expect that after the first search, his name will be cleared to eliminate suspicion in subsequent trips.

Only by having trouble at the airport does one discover that his name is in the list. Such information is not available before hand. People are allowed to travel if they are listed as selectees. One can therefore not prepare for such delays especially considering that the names keep fluctuating.

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.

TSA has provided individuals who suspect that their names could be in the list with the chance to reduce suspicion. They have provided the Traveler Identification Verification Form. It helps clear the name in case it is shared. All people are not completely cleared since some continue to experience difficulties during travel.

A person who thinks that he has been listed can seek redress through constitutionally provided channels. There are civil organizations helping such individuals to reduce the level of suspicion. This will clear you from constant harassment.




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