Yes. The government, more specifically the CDC, can gain access to the manifest information. This is what's happening with the Mumps outbreak in the Midwest. The initial reports of infection were directly linked to two passengers that flew aboard commercial airlines. Now, it's spread throughout the Midwest very rapidly.

The reason for putting the database together in advance of an outbreak is to work out the complicated issues in merging data from all of the airlines. My business is involved in data management and business intelligence products. To develop a good, reliable application, planning and proper execution is required to do it right. That said, do I expect the US government to achieve success and have a reliable product. Not a chance!

What happens when the start using such an application to start tracking down people in case of quarantine for the bird flu or some other rapidly emerging bio threat? I look at the 'No Fly' list and the prospect scares me. If we can't figure out who shouldn't be flying, how can we even begin to consider a product that could be used to take away the most precious of our personal rights, Freedom.