RoboBR

Guys and girls please help if you can. For the 5th flight in a row I have had issues with on line check in. Well, today I show up at for my flight to LGA very early as I could not use OLCI. The check in agent very politly says "Mr RoboBR you are on the DO NOT FLY LIST". She gets on the phone with TSA and after about 30 mins of faxing my various ID's (I carry my passport and my resident alien card as I am a UK citizen) the TSA agent says "you are cleared for this flight". I ask how to correct this for future flights and am promptly told to "deal with it. You should consider yourself lucky that you are being cleared for this flight and to expect this to continue for the forseeable future"! Well needless to say I am angry, confused etc.etc.etc. If I am a threat then why was I cleared for this flight???? I received NO extra screening and fly Co 60,000 butt in seat miles this year. I just don't get it. So if anybody has some advice it would be greatly appreciated.

Moderators: if this post belongs elsewhere please accept my apologies and move to apropriate forum.

Xyzzy

The EXACT same thing happened to the guy in front of me at SFO the other day. He, too, is a frequent flyer and suddenly found himself on the list.

Please continue this discussion in the Security forum. I'm moving the thread there now.

Xyzzy
CO forum moderator

wahooflyer

I believe the no-fly and watch lists vary depending on the airline. I flew with two friends on American Airlines from DCA to MIA back in October, and one of them was flagged because his name (a common Arabic one) matched four terrorists' names. It took a while at the ticket counter to clear him, and his boarding pass printed out with SSSS. However, this same friend flew US Airways out of LGA just a few weeks before and had no troubles. This may be what happened to you; it sounds like CO may have updated its lists recently.

Contact your local FBI field office; they might be able to help. Good luck!

Peetah

From what some congressmen's past experience, you might be in for one hell of a ride.

Contact your congressman and state senators. You're going to need their help.

At the same time, check out the crap they're spitting out here: http://www.tsa.gov/public/display?theme=173

Call, write, call, write, call, write and generally get in their face.

And while you're at it, ACLU. Newspapers, TV stations, etc. The more public attention this gets, the better.

Eventually, you'll get some letter that says you should present that letter when you check in.

In the meantime, try changing your reservation name slightly by adding or removing your middle initial. Last I heard, the idiots at the TSA still do an exact match. Go figure.

EmailKid

I am pretty darn sure it's a list from the Feds, and if anyone, they updated the list. Airlines don't have the resources to maintain and update these lists, hence the feds keep it for all the airlines.

And sometimes it takes them a while to actually single someone out. A good example was Yosuf Islam, better known to the work as Cat Stevens, who was not allowed into the US, in fact his plane landed in Canada on his way to (believe) NYC. After he deplaned, the rest of the pax continued on.

Oh, and sorry about your friend being put on the list. Believe it was Mass. Senator Ted Kennedy who somehow ended up on the list, and even for him it wasn't exactly automatic to get removed from it.

EmailKid

eyecue

Try the TSA office of the Ombudsman. They are the ones that can help you.

studentff

Please make sure to file a complaint, preferably one with the airline, TSA AND the federal DOT, about this employee. (It was unclear if the person was airline or TSA who said that.) That was a completely inappropriate thing to say and that person should be terminated.

IMO (s)he (?) should also be flogged in public, wear a scarlet hammer/sickle for life, and be required to tell her children daily that she is a horrible person undeserving of life in a free country, but I rarely seem to get my way when it comes to punishments.

Edit: Oh, and while waiting for the endlessly slow TSA ombudsman process to deny you have a problem or ignore your complaint, try flying with various combinations of your title, first, middle, and last names/initials in varying orders to resolve the problem. It is perfectly legit to show only the initial for everything but your last name and even legit to put your last (family) name as your given name. If someone grumbles about the name vs. the ID, look them in the face and say that's how your culture/family handles names. The rearrangement may fix the no-fly problem.

Also, consider contacting the ACLU--you may even be able to join the lawsuit. (Has it been certified as class action yet?)

sbrower

RoboBR - Do you have any idea what happened? Are *you* actually on the list or is it just your name (i.e. - someone else with the same name) which is on the list?

ldsant

I believe the OP stated that they are not a US citizen. Writing to a senator won't get him/her very far

pdhenry

In Yosuf Islam's case the flight originated outside of North America. When the flight originates outside of North America it is policy not to submit the names for vetting (or whatever) until the flight is airborne. Go figure.

Doppy

Yeah, I'm curious too.

outtolunch

Was he drunk or something?

Xyzzy

No. It was more unusual than that. He was sober!

Peetah

I've found that finding a friendly congresscritter will help anyone including those outside of the country.

I no longer live in the US, but I still use an address in the US for receiving mail. The congresscritters that have jurisdiction for that address usually hear it from me (often) about the various issues affecting US policy.

Just thought of something. What about misspelling one's name to get "off" the list? George Jorge Goerge Geogre...

RoboBR

First of all thank you all very much for your input. I did 2 things yesterday. First was contact the TSA. I would love to know where they find the people that staff this call centre. Not qualified to do anything more than take your name, address, phone number and tell you somewon will contact you in the next 3-4 weeks. Brilliant! Next I took the advise of a previous poster and contacted the local FBI field office. They will see me early next week. Person I talked to was very polite and helpful but they cannot give any information out over the phone. Advised me that they were happy to help i9f they could however with the upcoming NYE celebrations the office was very busy. (I am currently in NYC) So I wait and see what unfolds. I also will be writing to the senior staff at Co. this week. My thinking here is that maybe they can use their powers in DC to help fix this problem not for me but across the board. I did not have a issue with this the first time it happened. 2nd time..... well...OK. But Monday was the 5th time!!! If the TSA continues to make it difficult for us FT'ers, how long will we stick around? As I said in my OP, I fly Co 60,000 miles per year give or take. I also fly about 20-25,000 miles per year on my clients private jets. (Yes, it is a really nice perk!!) That is up 75% since 2001 and the creation of the TSA!!!

I will continue to keep you updated, thanks again for your input. Please keep it coming.

Oh, and yes I also filed a complaint against the employee with the attitude. It was the TSA employee not the Co agent.