USA - Secure Flight

An email from American Airlines reminds me of 'Secure Flight' the TSA's latest assinine programme:

The next phase in this program requires that effective November 1, all passengers have Secure Flight Passenger Data (SFPD) in their reservation at least 72 hours prior to departure. You will be unable to travel without providing this information.

Yeee hah! Once more the Yanks completely eff it up!

Don't anyone forget to enter their data 72 hrs before flying, or those holidays will be ruined for no purpose whatsoever! As for people like me, who often book with less than 3 days notice, well stuffed.

is this the same as APIS or next generation APIS or yet another extra?

Just when we thought they were being sensible by getting rid of the I-94 forms ...

[Neil]

So where do you fill out this info? On the airline site again like API? It's all getting bloody tough to fly to the States nowadays.

[Decker]

This seems much more likely to hit our colonial cousins than us as they require less info than we already submit with API. Basically name, DOB and Passport number so it can be matched against a no fly list. None of the info is changeable stuff so once on file your airline should just be able to send it. Naturally I stand to be corrected as this is just my understanding.

did a google search - they want full name - as it appears on passport so easy for airlines to collect - and especially for frequent flyers as could be part of yor profile.

ideally want it 72 hrs in advance but if you book withing that time the data will go straight to TSA for checking.

Am not sure what they are getting from making this an extra process other than hacking people off.

I got this from AA too and was wondering how early it can actually be submitted. Is there anything on the VS website yet (given that my next trip to the USA in November is with VS)?
Thanks.
DL

[mitchja]

Secure flight is essentially the same thing as advance passenger information which VS have been collecting from UK pax now for some time.

The only difference is that Secure Flight Passenger Data (SFPD) should also provide a field for a redress number if applicable.

VS updated their manage booking page last week. Where is said APIS before, it now says 'APIS / Secure Flight / SFPD entered  change details?'

SFPD is for US passport holders.
APIS is for all other passport holders.

Decker is almost right. The key is that the info now needs to be loaded for internal flights too - so while you do submit APIS for a VS flight, which de facto covers all secure flight requirements, you don't submit it if you're booking a VX flight on a separate PNR - so you will need to do this for such a flight too.

There are at least four ways I have found for doing this with UA:

1) If you have a FF account with a given airline, you should be able to store this info as part of the account, then every rez containing you FF# will automatically pull in the info. This is how I do it
2) When you book a ticket online, you have a field where you can enter the data
3) On a "My rez" summary screen, you should have the option to do this - for UA you will see either a green check mark or a red exclamation point below the main rez detail list, with a link to review the info, which takes you to a screen where you can fill in the data
4) Call the airline and ask them to add the info to the PNR

I've no idea whether the program will help, but the idea's not that daft. For me it's a non-issue, as there is no one else in the US with my surname, but folks used to get stopped for having names that matched the list, *if they can get this to work* it should prevent such last minute hassles from happening in future.

The idea is that, if you happen to be called Mr bin Laden, one way to prevent TSA from kicking you off the plane all the time is to furnish your full and proper name (which might alone disambiguate the situation), a DOB and a redress number if you have one. A redress number is a cross-ref to communications you might have had with Homeland security about who you are, and why you should be allowed to fly. Provide the info ahead of time and you won't find yourself batting on a sticky wicket at the airport if you happen to be ticketed as O. bin Laden

And before we start thinking "they'd never be daft enough to fly on a known and listed name", let's keep in mind that folks indeed have done this, that many metaphorical bread rolls were chucked at authorities for not running stringent checks on the names, etc etc. With more stringent checks, more people run the risk of getting kicked off their flight. With this program they're trying to ensure you don't get kicked off by resolving ambiguities well ahead of your travel date.

Of course, the proof of the pudding etc etc

From a thread on the Dibb forum, a least one travel agent has started emailing customers with the following:

"New procedures for your booking.

'Secure Flight' is being introduced by the United States Transportation Security Administration for passengers travelling on any flight into, out of and through the USA, on or after 01 November 2010. Secure flight is a behind the scenes program that streamlines the “watch list” matching process. Secure flight is mandatory for all carriers operating within US airspace. This means that all bookings must have the following Secure Flight Passenger Data collected and shown in each passenger's booking: If you wish to read more visit http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/secureflight/.

To keep our processes in place with the new requirements can you please send the following information.

Full Name including any middle names
Date of Birth
Gender
If applicable, Redress Number (Redress Number is a unique number given to a person who has previously been incorrectly identified as a watch list match)

Please be aware that Secure Flight does not replace Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS) or Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) and this information must still be provided and completed."

We fly out to MCO and return before 1/11/10, but have already completed the APIS info on 'Manage my booking' anyway.

MartG.

Just updated our details.
There is still no way to enter a Redress control number on the VS site.

You can enter a middle name now, but still have to telephone to have the redress number added to your booking.