Dont call me Shirley
Aug 20, 04, 5:55 pm
Both the NY Times and Wash Post today had stories about Sen Edward Kennedy being delayed in boarding because his name (along with anyone else by that name) hitting as a match on the no fly list.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/20/national/20flight.html?hp
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17073-2004Aug19.html
Both articles say that "ticket agents" refused to allow the Senator to board until supervisors interceeded. The WaPo piece, written by a journalist one of whose specialties is aviation security, implies that the agents did not regognize the Senator. Both papers recount that the agents told the Senator that they could not state the reason for the delay in check-in. This is actually correct; airline staff are prohibited from stating the reason when check-in is denied or delayed due to a possible No-Fly list match, per the Feds.
I am disappointed that of two nation's leading papers would make it appear that the issue is up to the agents; when a possible match is detected, the computer system actually inhibits check-in, even if the mismatch is obvious.
Only certain employees (usually, not always supervisors) have the level of computer access needed to clear and override possible match.
Had someone less recognizable than Ted Kennedy been flagged, additional time would have been involved as the supervisor took the steps needed to ensure that the match was indeed false.
Maybe, I am being overly sensitive. But I can just imagine readers shaking their heads and muttering "stupid airline agents". Yeah sometimes check-in staff can do some supid things. Most of then are not that stupid, however.
Even when a customer is flagged as a selectee by CAPPS, airline staff can not make an exception based on common sense, only under very specific and definesd circumstances.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/20/national/20flight.html?hp
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17073-2004Aug19.html
Both articles say that "ticket agents" refused to allow the Senator to board until supervisors interceeded. The WaPo piece, written by a journalist one of whose specialties is aviation security, implies that the agents did not regognize the Senator. Both papers recount that the agents told the Senator that they could not state the reason for the delay in check-in. This is actually correct; airline staff are prohibited from stating the reason when check-in is denied or delayed due to a possible No-Fly list match, per the Feds.
I am disappointed that of two nation's leading papers would make it appear that the issue is up to the agents; when a possible match is detected, the computer system actually inhibits check-in, even if the mismatch is obvious.
Only certain employees (usually, not always supervisors) have the level of computer access needed to clear and override possible match.
Had someone less recognizable than Ted Kennedy been flagged, additional time would have been involved as the supervisor took the steps needed to ensure that the match was indeed false.
Maybe, I am being overly sensitive. But I can just imagine readers shaking their heads and muttering "stupid airline agents". Yeah sometimes check-in staff can do some supid things. Most of then are not that stupid, however.
Even when a customer is flagged as a selectee by CAPPS, airline staff can not make an exception based on common sense, only under very specific and definesd circumstances.