Air Travelers May Be Assigned Color Codes

The Associated Press ^ | 09/09/03 | Staff Writer

[bedolido]

U.S. Prepares to Assign Color Codes to Air Travelers; Critics Fear System Will Be Too Intrusive.

WASHINGTON Sept. 9 — The government and the airlines reportedly will phase in a computer system next year to measure the risk of every passenger who boards a flight in the United States by using color codes.

According to the Washington Post, passengers will be assigned one of three codes, based in part on their travel plans, traveling companions and the date the ticket was purchased. Sources say those coded "green" will easily pass through security checkpoints. Others will be coded "yellow" and face additional screening. An estimated 1 to 2 percent who get "red" coding will be barred from boarding and face police questioning. They may be arrested.

Critics fear the new system will be far too intrusive, and that some people will be mistakenly "flagged" and even falsely arrested.

Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[DB]

"An estimated 1 to 2 percent who get "red" coding will be barred from boarding and face police questioning. They may be arrested."

So one out of fifty to one hundred passengers is going to flagged red??? That's going to do wonders for their business...

[RonF]

I often buy airline tickets less than a week ahead of time. That'll get me "yellow", I bet, especially since I'm flying from Chicago to Boston and back.

[Reeses]

It isn't easy being green.

[finnman69]

So if you look like this you get a red flag right?

[kinghorse]

I got no problem with this. But then I'm a white male over 40.

[Michael Barnes]

But then I'm a white male over 40.

Code red for you buddy. I bet you drive a white cargo van too

;)

[1Old Pro]

What's the deal with color coding everything?? Is it really so simple that we need only 3 categories?

[tdadams]

No, anyone from the Middle East automatically gets a green. We simply can't risk looking politically incorrect.

[Montfort]

It may turn out to be a good thing, but I can't help but suspect that in the end you will not get the best security rating unless you have been barcoded or "chipped" somehow.

Also, I would imagine that law enforcement folks tend to be particularly mean to people when they are SURE they have the right person. This system may give them a sense of false security that they can lean on you hard when you pop up as a red risk because someone stole your identity and purchased suspicious items using your identity. They will think that they are only doing good work when they lean on your like you are Osama himself and make you sit in bright light and deprive you of bathroom breaks or whatever other things police do these days to break down the bad guys. (Pretty nice compared to most of the rest of the world, I know, but then we have a greater degree of freedom here than folks like the even the relatively civilized French would ever understand.)

On the other hand, it will mean that more cases of identity theft will be uncovered, but do you want to be the person who the TSA folks are CERTAIN is a bad guy because of what some hoodlum did using your identity?

[bedolido]

if it's someone paying cash a few days before a flight with no luggage and wears a turbin and has an AK47 hidden under his skirt (whatever they're called)... I'd say... he should have a Red ticket.

[chimera]

No way. That would be too indicative of racial profiling. If this goes the way of passenger screening, look for a lot of old women and kids flagged with the dreaded red cards, while swarthy middle eastern-looking males get the green.

[ElkGroveDan]

Great. Will we all now have our own waiting areas and drinking fountains?

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

Probably not. More likely if you are frail, white and a grandmother of five.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Y'know, when I think about it, has anybody seen Ron Jeremy and that guy in the same room?

[billbears]

'Homeland' Security strikes again. Note this is not part of the 87 billion the President just asked for. For that there will be an entirely different speech looking for another handout. To implement something like this will probably run a good 100 billion at least!!

[finnman69]

WHOOOOPP WHOOOOP WHOOOOP! RED FLAG! RED FLAG!

[Brian S]

Perhaps they should consider "tattoos" for a more permanent "branding"...

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

Approach with extreme caution!

Suspect appears ready to survive a bio-toxin or gas attack!

[bedolido]

kinda sounds that way. getting weird

[Koblenz]

An estimated 1 to 2 percent who get "red" coding will be barred from boarding and face police questioning. They may be arrested.

Are they going to be charged with anything when they are arrested, or is having a computer program declare you a red flag good enough?

[steve-b]

Most fundamental of all, this sort of profiling system simply won't work against any terrorist who has two brain cells to rub together and enough money to buy a dozen or so "dry run" flights to 1)determine with a high degree of confidence that he's been flagged "green" and 2)establish a track record that makes it even more likely that he'll be flagged "green" when it's show time.

[tdadams]

I suspect I'm probably in a slim majority of people around here, but if given the free choice to apply for a 'trusted traveler' card, I'd do it today. I would object to any mandatory requirement to submit information in order to fly though.

I travel by air a lot. If it would allow me to walk into the airport about 15 or 20 minutes before my flight takes off rather than 2 or 3 hours, and a snaking line waiting to be searched (a la Oakland's airport), I'd be more than happy to get a 'trusted traveler' card.

[meyer]

So one out of fifty to one hundred passengers is going to flagged red??? That's going to do wonders for their business...

I'm shooting for "red". I love the smell of lawsuits in the morning - they smell like .... victory!

[TheBattman]

Since this will be put on by a Federal system, does that mean that things that require a background check will also cause airline passerngers to be "red" flagged?

Example: If I go buy a new hunting rifle for the upcoming deer season and then go to buy an airline ticket for a visit to my mom for Thanksgiving, will I then be flagged?

This is getting pretty scarry. It's not hard to imagine the small step to implants/barcodes/tatoo on forhead or right hand.

Sure looks like the end is getting closer every day.

[TheBattman]

Sorry, no lawsuits - it is in the interest of national security/anti-terrorism. I just don't see any successful lawsuits out of these intrusive policies, even when mistakes are made (already lots of complaints with the TSA - and yet no lawsuits as yet to win.)

[steve-b]

Great idea -- give terrorists the option to apply for a "trusted traveler" card until enough of them slip through and get approval....

[Just another Joe]

So if you look like this you get a red flag right?

No, that's what you look like after they inform you that you have a red flag.

[meyer]

Sorry, no lawsuits - it is in the interest of national security/anti-terrorism. I just don't see any successful lawsuits out of these intrusive policies, even when mistakes are made (already lots of complaints with the TSA - and yet no lawsuits as yet to win.)

That's pretty sad - we live in a country where people almost instinctively grab the backs of their necks the minute they hear that the other driver has insurance, but when a legitimate issue arises, nothing can be done. I guess I'll be driving - armed as usual.

[jriemer]

Apparently no-one's looking out for the "blue meanies" any more...

[Centurion2000]

Ron Jeremy's in trouble then.

[ARCADIA]

It just adds to the adventure of air travel. Dump the stocks now.

[UncleDudley]

That'll get me "yellow", I bet, especially since I'm flying from Chicago to Boston and back.

If you go along with this system of tryanny, you deserve it.

[kjam22]

I wouldn't mind giving the info to have a "trusted traveler's card" either. The problem is that within a year of them being issued, you'll be able to buy one on ebay.

[Paved Paradise]

When they start color-coding and then making it into the shape of a Jewish star (as in yellow Jewish star), then I'm putting my foot down.

Seems a bit simplistic to me. I think this system will make it easier for the terrorists as the screeners will start relying on the color coding more instead of their instincts (not that they are any good now). I wish I could be a screener. No one would get on! (ha ha).

[justshutupandtakeit]

So you would propose surrendering? Which RAT are you supporting?

[billbears]

Could you please enlighten me to where I 'proposed' surrender? Or is it surrender to not have a burning desire to bow to Washington DC five times a day?

[tdadams]

If they would slip through with a trusted traveler card why wouldn't they slip through now? It's not like the trusted traveler will get to skip the metal detector.

[Constitution Day]

Others will be coded "yellow" and face additional screening.

Rosie O'Donnell is pretty excited by that prospect.

The Yellow (by Rosie O'Donnell)

[meyer]

If they would slip through with a trusted traveler card why wouldn't they slip through now? It's not like the trusted traveler will get to skip the metal detector.

On the other hand, if they're not slipping through now, why would we need a "trusted traveller" card?

Frankly, the system we have now is a joke - its window dressing. Its a front to give people the impression that they are safer, where the actual safety is augmented by people's being more aware. Nobody would even think of hijacking a plane in the US right now - the passengers would rush them and kill them. The plane may crash, but it would never hit its intended target.

Besides, there are far too many other ways to create havoc in the US and elsewhere. They don't have to use a plane.

[Eala]

That's going to do wonders for their business...

Things like this have me wishing for a job that doesn't entail travel.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Ah yes, for certain the idiots will color code "Red" all ninety year old grandmas while simultaneously coding "Green" all 18 to 35 year old Muslims traveling with bombs strapped to their waists.

[BlazingArizona]

This system is already in place in Europe.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Attacking every proposal and ridiculing the government is the MO of the RATS. Do you have an alternative? All I have seen out of you is criticism of Bush and attacks on his administration. What did I miss?

[steve-b]

If they would slip through with a trusted traveler card why wouldn't they slip through now? It's not like the trusted traveler will get to skip the metal detector.

If somebody with the magic card still gets the same security screening, then why bother having it at all?

[steve-b]

Do you have an alternative?

Put a good blackjack next to the barf bag and markup catalog.

[tdadams]

You're being disingenuous. I didn't say they'd get the same screening. I only said they'd still pass through the metal detector.

There is no perfect solution, but I don't think government can provide us the level of security some will demand without enacting a state of martial law. That's an option in my opinion.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

THAT ought to tell us something - socialista Europe leading the way on this one.

[tdadams]

Argh, stupid computer. That should read "That's NOT an option in my opinion."

[MatthewViti]

credit checks are also part of this bastardly scheme. so, if one has bad credit, expect to be flagged or denied boarding.