Senate Measure Seeks Airline Passenger Lists

A measure moving through the Senate would require all airlines flying to the United States to turn over their passenger manifests so officials can check them against lists of suspected terrorists.

Sen. Byron L. Dorgan (D-N.D.) got the provision placed on a Labor, Health and Human Services and Education spending bill that senators will vote on today, Senate leaders said.

Some international carriers--including those from Canada, the Bahamas, Ireland, Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan--refuse to give their lists to the Customs Department before their planes leave for the U.S.

Airlines that don’t offer their passenger lists would not be able to land in the U.S., Dorgan said.