Important Secure Flight Update - by Travel Leaders 04/23/09

Previously, I’ve used my weekly message to discuss the upcoming federal government mandate on travel agents that are part of the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Secure Flight.  

There is a key implementation date fast approaching of which you and your agents need to be aware. I’ll get to that shortly, but first, here is how TSA explains the program itself:

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 conducts uniform prescreening of passenger information against federal government watch lists for domestic and international flights. TSA is taking 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 eventually 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 which began on January 27, 2009 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:

·         Decreases the chance for compromised watch list data by limiting its distribution

·         Provides earlier identification of potential matches, allowing for expedited notification of law enforcement and threat management

·         Provides a fair, equitable, and consistent matching process across all airlines

·         Reduces instances of misidentified individuals

·         Offers 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)

Secure Flight is designed to match each passenger’s name, date of birth and gender information against government watch lists to:

• Identify known and suspected terrorists
• Prevent individuals on the “No Fly List” from boarding an aircraft
• Identify individuals on the “Selectee List” for enhanced screening
• Facilitate passenger air travel, and
• Protect individuals' privacy

In my previous discussions, I’ve noted how travel agents will be required to provide the precise information outlined above: passenger names, dates of birth and gender into passenger records. Here is how TSA describes the role of the travel agency community:

How Secure Flight Affects You

As a member of the travel community, we understand that the Secure Flight requirements affect you in several ways. The most significant change is the additional passenger information required from passengers when making an airline reservation. As a liaison between aircraft operators and passengers, you play an important part in the airline's reservation process. Here are several changes that will impact airlines and that the airlines may require of you:

·         New information requirements – Under Secure Flight, passengers are required to provide their full name, date of birth, and gender when making an airline reservation. They will also be asked (but not required) to provide other information such as passenger's redress number.

·         Privacy protections –In order to ensure customers of the security of personal information for passengers, the Final Rule provides that aircraft operators should make a privacy notice available on public Web sites and self-serve kiosks before collecting any personally identifiable information from passengers or non-traveling individuals. As agents who book travel reservations on behalf of the airlines, the airlines may require that you post this privacy notice as well.

 Customer Privacy

Ensuring the privacy of your customers is a cornerstone of Secure Flight. TSA has developed a comprehensive privacy plan to incorporate privacy laws and practices into all areas of Secure Flight. As a member of the travel industry, you are an important part of this plan. As a point of direct contact with passengers, it is crucial that you understand your role, as required by the airlines whose bookings you sell, in this privacy plan. TSA encourages you to take the following to enhance passenger privacy:

·         Understand what passenger information is required and what information is optional.

·         Provide thorough training to customer representatives on the proper procedure to use when making reservations and dealing with customers face to face.

·         Use the appropriate language when communicating with passengers.

·         Be sure to post privacy notices at points of customer contact, per requirements from the airlines whose bookings you hold, alerting your customers of the steps you have taken to protect their privacy.

By working together and with the airlines, we can ensure your passengers have peace of mind, knowing that we have taken the appropriate steps to protect their privacy.

Helpful Links

 ·         Secure Flight Passenger Data Definitions

Regarding the upcoming deadline, some of the Global Distribution Systems (GDS) have indicated that they will implement Secure Flight on May 1, 2009. While this is not a federally imposed deadline – we are currently awaiting formal confirmation that the rumored TSA deadline of August 15, 2009, is in fact correct – it is one imposed by IATA for the GDS to have completed the necessary programming changes to their data fields to enable you and your agents to begin collecting Secure Flight information from your clients.

You are strongly encouraged to take two courses of action. 

First, you should begin training your frontline agents on the Secure Flight program. To that end, for example, Travelport has announced that it will offer an instructor-led class during the last week of April and the first week of May to help you and your agents better understand the Secure Flight Program. These classes cover both Worldspan and Apollo users. For more information, please click here.

Second, if you are currently using RESX or Cliqbook, Travel Leaders Headquarters has already coordinated these requirements for you.  If you have any questions about the programming, please contact Support Services.  RESX was implemented on April 13, 2009, and Cliqbook will be effective May 1, 2009.  If you are utilizing any other online booking tool, you will need to verify that the required programming is in place.  If you’re using Q3, you will continue to capture the appropriate information by populating the Q3 record and the PNR. After May 1, you should begin the process of updating your client profiles to store Secure Flight data; we will provide talking points for your agents to use with your clients and have those available by May 1. In addition, if you are not using Q3, you should consider creating technical scripts, office macros or programmable keys entries, to help your front line agents collect Secure Flight data at the point of sale.  

To view the TSA’s special travel agent page, please click here (to view the TSA’s full Secure Flight overview, click here). I strongly encourage you and your agents to completely familiarize yourselves with the requirements. In order to better communicate the upcoming changes to your clients, TSA has developed a Secure Flight Communications Toolkit that includes everything from tri-fold brochures to signs you can print out and place on display in your office. To view the complete toolkit, please click here.