December 22, 2010 - Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano on Tuesday announced that 100 percent of passengers on flights within or bound for the United States are now being checked against government watchlists fulfilling a key 9/11 Commission recommendation a month ahead of schedule.  

Under Secure Flight, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) prescreens passenger name, date of birth and gender against terrorist watchlists before passengers receive their boarding passes.

In addition to facilitating secure travel for all passengers, the program helps prevent the misidentification of passengers who have names similar to individuals on government watchlists. Prior to Secure Flight, airlines held responsibility for checking passengers against watchlists.

Under Secure Flight, 99 percent of passengers are cleared to print boarding passes at home or at a self-serve kiosk. Individuals found to match watchlist parameters will be subject to secondary screening, a law enforcement interview or prohibition from boarding an aircraft, depending on the specific case. 

TSA deploys a risk-based, layered security approach that utilizes a range of measures, both seen and unseen, including advanced technology, law enforcement, intelligence, terrorist watchlist checks and international collaboration. 

Since the attempted terrorist attack on December 25, 2009, Secretary Napolitano, in conjunction with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), has been leading a global initiative to strengthen the international aviation system against the evolving threats posed by terrorists, working in multilateral and bilateral contexts with governments as well as industry.