Beginning in 2009, airline passengers will be barred from boarding planes if they refuse to provide their full name and birth date, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced.
Comparing a passenger’s first, middle and last name and birth date to the FBI’s watch list will eliminate many false matches by more precisely identifying passengers. Travelers now are only required to give airlines a last name and first initial.
Airlines must collect the new information starting in July for flights originating or ending in the U.S. The requirement also applies to any flight traveling over the country, such as from Canada to Mexico. Some airlines may start in January. Airlines will give passenger information to the TSA to compare to the FBI’s watch list.
Travelers who book flights and fail to disclose their full names won't be able to print a boarding pass at home or at an airport kiosk. They will have to go to an airline counter and show proof of identification.
