After a teleconferencing session that lasted well into last Thursday night the United States and the European Union have agreed a deal on passenger data whereby the records will be ”pushed” replacing the current "pull" system.
This involves some 34 ”fields” some of which contain minimum details such as ”Mr” whilst others are of a more obtrusive nature. As things stand the deal should be formerly approved this week and will expire at the end of July 2007. However there are practical difficulties to be overcome and the system is not likely to be in place until the end of the year. A more permanent arrangement is foreseen and the officials are likely to get together in Washington in November.
In the meantime outbound UK passengers only need to give their names when booking and have their passport scanned and their biometric picture taken at check-in. Once the doors of the aircraft are closed all this information is relayed to the US Department of Homeland Security who are able to electronically check the information before the aircraft departs. Under the new arrangements passengers who have paid by credit card have already supplied some of this information, but not so those who pay in cash.