IP: Profiling is here

[David Farber <dfarber () earthlink net>]

Happened to me today at USprayer re ff -- number
-----Original Message-----
From: "Ridgely C. Evers" <revers () evers org>
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 2002 10:15:34 
To: "Dave Farber" <dave () farber net>
Subject: Profiling is here

Dave,

My wife and I (both frequent fliers, but not on Southwest) flew over the
last several days on Southwest.  The first flight was two legs,
Oakland->LAX, and LAX->Tucson.  Two days later, Tucson->San Diego, then San
Diego->Oakland a day later.  All purchased together, as a round-trip.

In the course of those 4x2 legs, we were searched THIRTEEN times.  Check-in,
main security checkpoint, and boarding.

Why?  Because we were traveling together under different last names and did
not have a frequent flyer number on Southwest.  In fact, the Southwest gate
personnel told us we could "get off the list" if we signed up for their
frequent flyer program!

This is, of course, complete idiocy, and the result of a badly-designed
policy.  The worst part is that it reflects badly primarily on the airline
(in the form of a disgruntled customer) at a time when the airlines need all
the friends they can get.

It is also the kind of security policy that eventually gets eroded, ignored,
and overruled because it is intolerable, which leaves exactly the kind of
holes one can fly a plane through.

The point is, we're already subject to profiling.  It's just being done
badly and, consequently, without real benefit to _any_ of the
constituencies.

There's got to be a better way.

--Ridge
______________________________________________________

 Ridgely C. Evers                desk  (415) 625-5950
 President & CEO                 main  (415) 625-5900
 nCircle Network Security        fax   (415) 625-5982
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 www.ncircle.com                   revers () ncircle com
 Linda Kilby - assistant      linda.kilby () ncircle com
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