The Air Transport Association continues to express support for the concept of the
Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System (CAPPS II). As described by the
Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the system would enhance security and
result in fewer hassles and delays for airline passengers.
The safety and security of airline passengers and crews continues to be our top
priority and we applaud government efforts bring a more sophisticated intelligence
capability to aviation security. Today, billions of dollars have been invested in an
aviation security system that relies on a rudimentary mix of physical and random
screening. We believe TSA can do better by developing security systems that scrutinize
people, not things. The TSA needs to avoid the dragnet that today captures business
travelers flying on multiple one-way tickets or an 83-year-old grandmother unable to
remove her shoes at a security checkpoint. In the future, CAPPS II will improve
passenger pre-screening by using smart computer systems to identify people who may
pose a threat.
U.S. airlines believe there are several operational and privacy issues that need to
be addressed in CAPPS II. In short, we believe CAPPS II must meet three basic tests.
First, it must improve airline security. Second, it must protect the privacy rights of all
airline passengers. And third, it must be implemented without substantial disruptions to
airline travelers or airlines.
Acceptance of CAPPS II will depend on public confidence about the legitimacy
of this security system, both in the United States and overseas. Fortunately, Congress
and the GAO have created several privacy and operational benchmarks for TSA to
achieve before CAPPS II is implemented.
AIRLINE OPERATIONAL CONCERNS
Allow me to touch on a few of the highlights on the operational side. We believe
the scope of the CAPPS II program needs to be narrowed; specifically, limited to
identifying terrorist or hijacker threats. It should not be a program for general law
enforcement.
Let me review some other operational considerations.
- All airline and third-party computer systems will have to be reprogrammed to work with CAPPS II. This will create substantial new resource demands on airlines.
- U.S. airlines will need to know all the technical requirements for the CAPPS II system well in advance of its startup, such as how TSA will extract traveler information from airline reservation systems.
- Airlines do not control how third-party sellers interact with travelers. Since more than 70 percent of all passengers book their travel through third-parties such as travel agents and on-line services, any CAPPS II rule must also require those travel industry partners to collect required passenger data records.
AIRLINE PRIVACY CONCERNS
Now I want to spend a few minutes talking about airline privacy concerns. My
written testimony reviews in some detail the laws and other requirements to protect
traveler privacy. We applaud those efforts.
ATA member companies remain committed to protecting the privacy of the
traveling public as well as ensuring the security of airline passengers. However, CAPPS
II continues to raise several privacy concerns for travelers that must be addressed. The
good news is that Congress shares these concerns and the TSA has acknowledged that
there is substantial work to do. Our members know that if the public is not comfortable
with the TSA’s handling and protection of confidential information, CAPPS II may be
doomed.
For these reasons, ATA has developed a statement of privacy principles for TSA
to adopt as part of the CAPPS II program. A copy has been provided to the committee.
Our privacy principles seek to control who is allowed access to passenger information,
how that information gets used for identity verification as well as other rules for
openness, disclosure, and accuracy. These industry recommendations were approved by the ATA Board and are intended for the government to implement and are consistent
with the privacy requirements imposed by Congress.
REGISTERED TRAVELER PROGRAM
In addition to CAPPS II, U.S. airlines continue to support the registered traveler
program. ATA first suggested this program immediately after 9/11 and we continue to
believe it should be deployed before the CAPPS II system is launched.
INTERNATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
There is an important international component of the CAPPS II data privacy
issues. U.S. and European officials have met. We hope they can soon agree on dataprotection principles, avoiding conflicts that can disrupt travel and create compliance
difficulties for U.S. carriers.
SUMMARY
In summary, we believe that the concept of CAPPS II can advance counterterrorism
efforts. However, public acceptance of the program will depend on TSA’s
embracing protections of personal privacy as well as improving the public’s
understanding of those safeguards. We also believe there are numerous operational
issues that must be addressed before CAPPS II can be launched successfully. – Thank
you.