Disclaimer: I fully believe ID does NOT = Security. Osama B.L. can fly if he and his bags (and those of his companions and the cargo, as he might want to go out as a martyr on an flight with the infidels )are properly checked for WEI. One crippled old man is not going to take over a plane by ESP, The Force, or a Vulcan mind trick.

However, as discussed on this thread, Page 3(page 6 of the pdf) of the Secure Flight Data Definitions does what you propose.

"Known Traveler Number", 25 alpha-numeric characters, "assigned passenger number DHS uses to facilitate passenger clearance" and "Known Traveler Number will be for TSA-approved programs and is a future functionality."

25 characters is enough to assign a unique Driver License type ID number to every person on earth. (OT trivia: everyone tends to say "drivers" but the State of Florida officially calls it "driver" license. ) When it is used, can the public request or FOIA their own KTN? It would save all the other time at reservations, and especially in lost ID situations, if the pax could simply recite his KTN and say "look that one up, that's me."

I do not think Big Brother DHS/TSA should be assigning a World ID Serial Number to every person, but since they seem to be unstoppable and are going to do it anyway, then at least tell us our number and let us use it for booking and flying. KTN seems to be a free mini version of Global Entry type programs, just without the fingerprints and $100 fee, because once they have your PNR info with credit card info and internet info and your passport number with link to your stored digital picture plus your CBP travel history all linked in the computer to a single KTN, ID matching will no longer depend on whether your BP and DL says "F." or "Frank" for the middle name. "Here is my KTN which is not on the No FLy List, get out of my face workfare TDC." ^