Registered Traveler

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The Registered Traveler Pilot Program is an airline passenger security assessment system that was tested in the United States air travel industry in 2005. It was used in several U.S. airports in a voluntary pilot phase and continues in operation in several airports around the country. There are also registered traveler programs in other countries, such as in London, UK. It is the replacement for the Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System (CAPPS) and the canceled CAPPS II counter-terrorism system, which was canceled during its early testing phase. The TSA will broadly implement the program in the US starting in the first half of 2007 by allowing private contractors to execute and administer the program.

1 Overview
2 Identifying information
3 Controversy
- 3.1 Privacy
- 3.2 Effectiveness
4 References
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Overview

The program seeks to identify passengers who pose a minimal security risk, and then provide those passengers an enhanced security checkpoint experience. Passengers will voluntarily pay a fee and submit to a background check to become a Registered Traveler. Passengers who pass the background check will be issued a smartcard credential for use at the security checkpoints of airports that participate in the program. Registered Travelers will have access to a reserved security lane and will enjoy a shorter wait at the security checkpoint. Other benefits, such as allowing Registered Travelers to keep their coats and shoes on and their laptops in their bags have also been discussed and Clear Registered Traveler does have machines that now screen shoes for metal, and as long as a traveler doesn't have metal, they may not have to take off their shoes. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has decreed that the screening of Registered Travelers must be at least as thorough as the screening of other passengers, in order to prevent a terrorist with a clean background from compromising the system. TSA has oversight over the Clear program. They also can't take on board prohibited items^[1]. Additionally, Registered Travelers will not be exempt from random secondary screening. Therefore it is anticipated that the companies that run Registered Traveler checkpoints will deploy advanced screening equipment in order to provide Registered Travelers with a less intrusive screening experience.

Currently the Registered Traveler program is fully operational under the program name Clear, operated by Verified Identity Pass^[2], at the following airports:

Orlando International Airport (MCO)
New York's John F. Kennedy Airport, Terminals 7, 4 and 1 (JFK)
Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC)
Indianapolis International Airport (IND)
Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)
Albany Airport (ALB) Newark, NJ International Airport

Clear is also working on an international program and has a contract with Toronto Airport.

Clear Passengers pay $99.95 per year for use of the service.

Clear was founded by Steven Brill, a Court TV lawyer.

[edit] Identifying information

Passengers who participate in this system must first provide personal biographical information including name, address, phone number, citizenship status, and previous addresses, along with other information. The biographical information will be collected by a commercial Registered Traveler service provider. The biographical portion of the enrollment may be accomplished via a secure web site. Next, the applicant will proceed to the biometric phase of the enrollment process. During biometric enrollment applicants will present identification documents and fingerprints. Applicants may also choose to have an iris scan performed if they wish to use an iris scan as an alternative to a fingerprint scan at the security checkpoint. Once the biometric enrollment is complete, the service provider submits the collected data to the TSA which performs a Security Threat Assessment (STA) of the applicant. If the assessment does not indicate that the applicant is suspected of posing a risk to aviation security, the TSA will return an approved STA result to the service provider. The service provider will then provide the passenger with a Registered Traveler card. The card will be a smartcard, containing biometric information information to prevent the card from being used by unauthorized persons.

[edit] Controversy

This system, like its predecessor, CAPPS II, has come under fire for its privacy implications, as well as its potential effectiveness.

[edit] Privacy

On the privacy front, this is far more invasive than CAPPS II, in that it collects biometric information about passengers. While supporters assert that this program is voluntary, critics assert that RT's extensive background checks will be integrated into non-optional plans like Secure Flight. Another major concern is the use of this system for purposes other than counter-terrorism. For example, before it even went into a pilot phase, CAPPS II was already augmented to prohibit the boarding of any passenger with an outstanding arrest warrant for a violent crime. Supporters of the program maintain strict privacy requirements that do not allow for alternate uses or tracking of members' movement.

[edit] Effectiveness

Similar to the concerns raised about CAPPS and CAPPS II, critics point out that any program designed to exclude certain passengers from scrutiny will provide a backdoor for potential terrorists, since they would likely seek Registered Traveler status. This criticism draws on the 9/11 Commission finding that 9 of the 19 hijackers involved in the September 11, 2001 attacks were flagged by the CAPPS I system but were not intercepted, because security was focused myopically on luggage bombs.