Continental or the TSA now require more personal info to fly

[Mike Barskey]

I got this email from Continental Airlines today:

We would like you to know about a new mandatory program that requires additional traveler information when booking reservations. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has implemented the Secure Flight program to improve the security of domestic and international commercial air travel that streamlines the watch list matching process.

Under the Secure Flight program, customers are now required to provide the information below when booking travel at continental.com or with a Continental Reservations representative.

Full name (as it appears on customer's government-issued ID)
Date of birth
Gender
Redress Number* (if available)
If you haven't already provided this information, please take the time now to update your Traveler ID(s) at continental.com. Once entered, this information will be available when booking on continental.com. Bookings made over the phone with Continental Reservations will also require this information to be provided.

Update your continental.com profile now 

We recommend that you update your profile before your next flight to minimize your chances of being delayed at TSA security check-points.

To learn more about Secure Flight visit the tsa.gov site

* Customers who believe they have been mistakenly matched to a name on the watch list are invited to apply for Redress through the Department of Homeland Security Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP). Secure Flight uses the results of the redress process in its watch list matching process, thus preventing future misidentifications for passengers who may have a name that's similar to an individual on the watch list. For more information on the redress process, visit the dhs.gov/trip site.

I wonder if this new "mandatory" Secure Flight program is mandatory Continental's or the TSA's. If Continental's, I won't be patronizing their business any more.

[LordBaltimore]

I've gotten the same email from Southwest and American.

[K. Darien Freeheart]

It's a new DHS rule.

I recall reading about it last year. Now, in order to purchase a plane ticket, the DHS must approve it before the airline can issue it. If you flag, the airline can't book the ticket without an override.

It's something that affects all airlines (though, I'm not sure about private planes).

[Friday]

yeah, this came out months ago.    If, like me and many other people, your name has changed at some point, even a particular piece of gubmint-issued ID won't necessarily be accepted.  For example, if your passport says Jane Doe, and your driver's license says Jane D. Smith, you need to pick one to report to the TSA and bring *that* one, because they supposedly won't let you on the plane with the other one.   

[Free libertarian]

So it has nothing to do with this...? 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7AWw7t5zj0

[Sam A. Robrin]

The S is definitely H-ing TF . . . 

[Kat Kanning]