Associations Offer Qualified Support For DHS Watch-List Redress Plan
The Department of Homeland Security on Feb. 20 plans to launch the Traveler Redress Inquiry Program, offering travelers faster means to correct watch-list misidentification or point of entry issues, or rectify situations where passengers "have been unfairly or incorrectly delayed, denied boarding or identified for additional screening at our nation's transportation hubs," DHS said.
The National Business Travel Association last month applauded the system's development as well as the Transportation Security Administration's plan to review the so-called "no-fly" list, noting both should reduce hassles for business travelers.
An Association of Corporate Travel Executives statement called the initiative "a step in the right direction," but withheld further judgement until "the workings of the program are fully unveiled."
The system uses the online Traveler Inquiry Form to collect requests for redress by the DHS TRIP office.
"This collection serves to distinguish individuals from an actual individual on any watch list used by DHS, and it helps streamline and expedite future checkin or border crossing experiences," DHS noted in the Federal Register last month.
"DHS TRIP will offer the legitimate traveler a clearly defined process through which to report travel-related discrepancies, thus improving the traveler experience overall," said Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff. "Ensuring that personal information is accurate and complete allows us to focus fewer resources on legitimate travelers and more resources on national security and law enforcement issues."
"NBTA has been calling for simplified redress processes for years," said NBTA president and CEO Suzanne Fletcher.
"By introducing a system that will give business travelers a simplified process to address issues they may encounter at security checkpoints, our nation is assured that commerce is not negatively impacted by security efforts," Fletcher said.
"ACTE has always maintained that a timely passenger redress program should be a critical part of any travel-related security program," said ACTE president Greeley Koch. "Redress programs were not presented as integral parts of the Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System II, Secure Flight, the Registered Traveler Program, and the Automated Targeting System. For travelers who find themselves on the no-fly list, the fastest means of redress takes a minimum of 30 days."
Koch said the industry "will need a program that generates results in less than 30 days," adding, "the most common unanswered question from our membership in 2006 remains, 'How do I get a traveler off the no-fly list?' We may get that answer next month."