Security in the air is again dominating in the United States. Every passenger boarding an aircraft is to be given a colour coding to match their perceived threat level to airline security.

The Bush administration is set to introduce the "red means stop and green means go system" later this year despite strong opposition from US airlines.

From Washington, John Shovelan reports the system will require airlines to hand over personal details of passengers and their bookings lists which will be then checked against terrorist watch lists.

JOHN SHOVELAN: The new screening system will assess all passengers passing through US airports. Each passenger's name, address, telephone number and other personal details will be matched against databases. Passengers will then be given a score and classified green, red or orange.

If the traveller represents no threat they'll be classified green. Orange would mean further scrutiny and perhaps increased surveillance and red would mean the travellers wouldn't be allowed to board.

Lara Flint, a lawyer with Washington's Centre for Democracy and Technology, says airlines are reluctant to participate in the program because they're concerned about the adverse publicity they will receive after handing over the personal information of all of their customers.

LARA FLINT: The program would require that passengers provide additional information when they book an airline ticket within the US and then that information would be run against some commercial databases that are held by American companies that have all kinds of information about most folks who have credit cards and use them here in the States, and determine whether that person actually is who they say they are.

Their names would also then be run against government watch lists and some sort of risk assessment would be done. It's a little unclear how this would work, based on government data, to determine whether that person is a risk to airline security in any way.

Part of the problem of course is that we don't have a very good understanding of what government data would be relied upon, how this risk assessment would be done, and how someone would contest that, you know, they're not a risk if they were determined to be.

JOHN SHOVELAN: One of the other issues is this idea that you'll get a numerical score, which will go with a colour code.

LARA FLINT: Hmm hmm.

JOHN SHOVELAN: Exactly how would that work? I assume green would mean you would get a very high mark.

LARA FLINT: The numbered code and the colour might vary from day to day depending on how high the government viewed the risk that day at that airport. The TSA (Transportation Security Administration) officials actually in the airports would only get back a colour. Now someone's got to decide of course what colour someone is, but I think that at least for the TSA officials in the airports there would be not be much in terms of discretion.

JOHN SHOVELAN: Foreign airlines flying into the United States are being pressured to provide details of all their passengers as well. Another program will be introduced to allow frequent flyers to pass quickly through security lines, so long as they provide their personal details ahead of time to the government.

Anyone here know the literal translation for the full name of the Gestapo? I think it comes out very similar in meaning as the "Homeland Security".

Homeland Security is the first American agency who's intended purpose is to spy on Americans. Same as the Gestapo, KGB and many others. Along with restriction of travel and travel documents (of a fashion) it is starting to look a lot like 1930s Germany around here. I do not think Washington realizes the terrible power they have unchained. No one pays attention to history anymore, they are too busy teaching PC in the schools.

I always thought that if we lost our freedom they would sell it. But Hell, they are too eager to just give it away.