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7-year-old on TSA's "no fly" list of suspected terrorists
Filed under: Places To Go, Day Care & Education
Somewhere there's a Michael Martin that -- at least according to the TSA -- would pose a security threat if he boarded an aircraft.
But it's not this kid.
This Michael Martin is 7-years-old. He is 3 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 55 lbs. He looks (and is) completely harmless. So why does his mother have to fight for a boarding pass every time he flies?
The TSA says it's the airlines' fault -- claiming that it's their responsibility to automatically remove children from no-fly lists. In fact, the organization's website goes so far as to say that it's a "myth" that children wind up on these lists in the first place.
But the airlines note that they can't verify a person's age when they make an online reservation. They have to see the child face to face in order to determine they are who they say they are.
So Michael and his mom appear to be stuck dealing with the hassle every time they fly on a new airline. In the end, they've always been allowed to board, and I'm sure most people would agree with a "better safe than sorry" system when it comes to air security.
But Michael Martin seems like a relatively common name -- so how many families is this problem effecting? Have you or your children ever been hassled at the airport because your names match those on some mysterious list?
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
7-24-2007 @ 4:57PM
hp said...My father is on the "no fly" list (or, at least, the strip search & harass for several hours before allowing to fly list) but that's no mistake.
He's a major democratic supporter and has worked for democratic presidential campaigns in the past. He actually turned down an offer to work on Dean's and then Kerry's campaign last time around because he was so sick of the ongoing harassment. He flies a couple of times a month for business, and had missed many flights while being questioned and searched in back rooms at airports.
Reply
7-24-2007 @ 6:21PM
Liz said...I am on the "No Fly" list.
I am not allowed to print boarding passes from home or use the "e-Ticket" kiosks.
When compared to traveling with a 3 year old it is not really a huge hassle.
It is mostly just a joke in my family because I do not fit any "profile" in the least.
Reply
7-24-2007 @ 7:24PM
Tina said...You've linked to the Texas Society of Anesthesiologists. I doubt they know, or care, who is on the no-fly list.
Reply
7-24-2007 @ 8:16PM
Ann Adams said...The second "Read" at the bottom of the post works.
The first one goes nowhere now.
Reply