TSA widens pre-flight screening of travellers

[NEW YORK] The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is expanding its screening of passengers before they arrive at the airport by searching a wide array of government and private databases that can include records such as car registrations and employment information.

While the agency says that the goal is to streamline the security procedures for millions of passengers who pose no risk, the new measures give the government greater authority to use travellers' data for domestic airport screenings. Previously that level of scrutiny applied only to individuals entering the United States.

The pre-screening, some of which is already taking place, is described in documents the TSA released to comply with government regulations about the collection and use of individuals' data, but the details of the programme have not been announced publicly.