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FAA TO TEST SECURITY SYSTEM

A vast airport security screening system designed to instantly reveal personal information on passengers -- including travel history and living arrangements -- will soon be tested by federal aviation officials, The Washington Post reports.

The system would establish a computer network linking every ticket reservation system in the United States to private and government databases.

Federal authorities hope to test at least two prototypes in coming months or possibly sooner, the newspaper reported on its Web site, citing government and industry sources familiar with the effort.

The network would use data-mining software and would pluck tidbits of information on passengers from a variety of records.

An FAA official, asked about the report, would say only that the technology was one of several being looked at.

Industry officials close to the projects have discussed with lawmakers the possible need to roll back some privacy protections in the Fair Credit Reporting Act and Driver's Privacy Protection Act to enable them to use more of the credit and driver's-license data, the Post said.

If it works, the security system would play the role of detective, marking any subtle patterns or unusual data that could suggest a potential threat -- even before the scheduled day of flight.

It might find, for instance, that one man used a debit card to buy tickets for four other men who sit in separate parts of the same plane. Or it might discern an array of unusual links and travel habits among passengers on different flights.

After reviewing the data, the security system would assign each passenger a threat index score. Passengers with higher scores would be singled out for additional screening by authorities.

At least one carrier, Delta Air Lines, has been working with several companies on a prototype. Northwest Airlines has acknowledged that it is talking with other airlines about a similar screening system.

Two leading prototypes are being developed and both would take years to finish, according to the report.