ACTE PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
ACTE Travel Security Task Force To Study Impact Of TSA's "Secure Flight"
Program on Business Travel
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Alexandria, VA (Sept. 22) -- The Association of Corporate Travel
Executives has directed it's new Traveler Security Task force to pursue
the Transportation Security Administration for details regarding its "Secure
Flight" program. According to initial reports by the TSA, the "Secure
Flight" program will compare sensitive passenger data with details of a
known terrorist flight list. Yet process and procedure details have not
been introduced to the business travel community.
"There are a lot of questions surrounding the Secure Flight program,"
said ACTE's Executive Director Nancy Holtzman. "For example, its our
understanding that carriers have been ordered to turn over passenger
information for the month of June. The fact that there is no standard
for this information -- and that it varies from carrier to carrier --
gives cause for concern regarding uniform comparison."
Holtzman stated that she expected privacy advocates to begin raising
questions regarding the ethical aspects of the Secure Flight program,
"But ACTE's concerns are strictly related to business. We want to know
about the reconciliation process, the restitution process, and the
likely cost impact to business, in comparison with the level of
protection this new program is expected to provide. The TSA would be
wise to come out of the gate with all of the proposed processes intact
and ready to go," said Holtzman.
Published reports claim the TSA will be comparing passenger information
generated in June against known terrorist watch lists. However, it was
also reported that the TSA could compare this information against
commercial data bases to detect the possibility of identity theft. "Once
again, it appears that the government is leaving itself wide open for
the charge that it has yet to clearly define how the information is to
be used," said Holtzman.
In a related matter, ACTE is participating in a joint program with the
International Association of Privacy Professionals, on September 30,
2004 (Washington, D.C.) to outline the challenges posed by the crossover
of passenger security and corporate privacy. ACTE President Elect
Greeley Koch will participate on the panel, and voice the association's
concern with the Secure Flight program.
For more information, contact:
Jack Riepe
t: 610-719-8396
c: 610-256-0124
e: [email protected]
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