U. S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITYTransportation Security Administration

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  - September 3, 2004TSA Press Office: (571) 227-2829

Program designed to enhance security and customer service at the gatewayto the Nation's Capital

WASHINGTON, D.C. In a continued effort to enhanceaviation security and ease screening for thousands of travelers, the Departmentof Homeland Security's (DHS) Transportation Security Administration (TSA) todayexpanded operations for the RegisteredTraveler Pilot Program to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.  AmericanAirlines has been selected to partner with TSA at both Reagan National andBoston Logan airports.  Similar pilots were launched successfully withother airline partners in Minneapolis (Northwest Airlines) and Los Angeles(United Airlines) in July and in Houston (Continental Airlines) and Boston inAugust.

"With the continuing success of pilot programs in Minneapolis, LosAngeles, Houston and Boston, TSA is demonstrating that the Registered TravelerPilot Program can improve customer service and enhance our already stronglayered system of aviation security," said DHS Secretary Tom Ridge.  "Thisprogram also provides the Department with a national test bed forstate-of-the-art biometric technologies that could provide far reaching benefitsfor many of the agencies that help to secure our homeland."  

Secretary Ridge, officials from Washington Reagan National Airport, AmericanAirlines and TSA, were on hand to demonstrate the new biometric technology.

Each pilot program will last about 90 days at the five selected airports andis intended for frequent flyers on the partnering air carrier.  Startingtoday, approved registered travelers at Reagan National will be directed to adesignated checkpoint lane with a Registered Traveler kiosk.  At the kiosk,they will provide a fingerprint and iris scan forentity authentication andproceed to the checkpoint for screening.  Registered travelers and theircarry-on bags will still go through primary screening, but more extensivesecondary screening will be largely eliminated.  

In August, American Airlines invited its Washington-based American Advantageelite frequent fliers to enroll in the pilot program.  Volunteers providedTSA with information, including name, address, phone number and date of birth,along with biometricentifiers.  TSA then conducted a security assessmentof each volunteer, including analysis of law enforcement and intelligence datasources and a check of outstanding criminal warrants.  Approximately 2,000customers will participate at each of the five test airports.  

During the pilot, registered travelers may use the biometric equipment onlyin their home airport of enrollment.  Participation in the pilot program isvoluntary and free. Once the pilot is complete, TSA will examine the results andtechnologies for security and customer service benefits before deciding whetherto expand the program to other airports.