DHS issues final rule for Secure Flight

On Oct. 22nd, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a final rule for its Secure Flight program that will require all air passengers to provide full name, date of birth and gender. The DHS Transportation Security Administration will use the information to screen passengers against a watch list of potential terrorists, a function the airlines have been performing. TSA will retain passenger information for seven years, including travel itinerary, for anyone tentatively matched to a name on the watch list. TSA will retain that information even if it ultimately determines that the person flying is not the person on the watch list. Data on other passengers will be deleted after seven days.