Not allowed to board? Are you on the no-fly list?

On October 13, 2016, in Uncategorized, by Karina Popa

The No Fly List is extremely confidential and for this reason, travelers only find out that they are included on it when they are prevented from boarding a flight, which happens in public, at the airport. The public is not aware of the number of individuals on the No Fly List, and the reasons for being on it are too vague that they undoubtedly catch innocent people that are involved in First Amendment-protected speech, association or activity.

What should you do when have been refused boarding?

In case they do not allow you to board a plane, present a standard form to the DHS TRIP, which stands for Department of Homeland Security Traveler Redress Inquiry Program. This then sends out complaints plus supporting info you give to the Terrorist Screening Center or TSC, which verifies whatever action should be carried out.

When you are an American citizen or a legal permanent resident and the TSC finds out you are on the No Fly List, you will receive a letter from DHS TRIP informing you about your No Fly List status and give the option to provide and receive more information. Once you go for that option, DHS TRIP will give another letter identifying the general measure by which you have been included on the List. This could probably come with an uncategorized outline of the reasons of placing you on the No Fly List. The summary of the government will not likely have all of the reasons why you have been placed on the list, and there are even cases when the government chooses not to give a summary by any means. In addition, the government will not reveal the evidence used in deciding to include you on the List, and may even keep info in its possession, which undercuts the basis for your inclusion on the list. Last but not the least, the government does not offer a live hearing where you could testify or defend yourself by questioning witnesses against you.

It is up to you to write your response to the second letter, alongside exhibits or additional materials that could help. The government will then evaluate the response you submitted and inform you with regard to its final resolution.

On the other hand, in case you are neither an American citizen nor a legal permanent resident, TSC will review what you submitted and DHS TRIP will give you a letter that claims to explicate how it resolved the complaint. Know that the letter neither confirms nor denies if you have been included on the No Fly List, or if you can board a flight in the future. Moreover, the government refuses to give any reasons why you have been included on the No Fly List, or provide a significant hearing, in which you can clear your name. Sorry to say, as of this time, the only way for non-citizens to find out their name has been removed from the No Fly List after undergoing this procedure is to buy an airline ticket and see they will be allowed to board.

In such cases, it would surely help to be able to perform a no fly list search, wouldn’t it? In fact, many of the visitors to our website are interested in a no fly list check.