E-ticked

Airlines to ask for more passenger info

This article will probably inflame privacy advocates who loathe the idea of giving up their middle name and birth date in order to board a plane. I, however, will jump at the opportunity.

You see, someone with my name has gone and gotten me on the TSA watch list. Every time I fly, I try to check in using my electronic ticket. Every time, I get a little slip of paper telling me to visit an agent. This usually means that instead of having time to sit down and have a real meal while I await my flight, I spend an extra half hour in line and scarf down McDonald's before boarding. This name confusion makes me arrive at the airport earlier than I would like, fearful that I will otherwise miss my flight because of the delay. And it makes me feel like a criminal, standing there while the woman (always a woman since this started happening) behind the counter calls some special number to find out if I'm the man they're looking for.

If I can give up my middle name and birth date and in return never have to wait for the person on the other end of the phone to confirm that I'm not a terrorist, that sounds like a fair trade to me.