Security Procedures

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) procedures require all airlines to correctly identify all Customers. As part of this ongoing effort, the TSA has implemented the Secure Flight program, which requires airlines to ask Customers for their full name (as it appears on their government issued ID), date of birth, and gender at the time of reservation.

The Secure Flight program was developed by the government to meet 9/11 Commission recommendations that the TSA take over watch list name matching functions from airlines. The benefit is that Secure Flight offers a standardized method for the TSA to compare passenger name information to the TSA watch lists. For additional information on the Secure Flight program, you may review the TSA’s Press Release at http://www.tsa.gov/press/releases/2009/0521.shtm.

Secure Flight is being phased in across the industry, so different airlines will begin requesting additional passenger data at different times. Southwest Airlines is working to incorporate the new Secure Flight data requirements into our systems, and will begin requesting additional information from our Customers in October 2009.

In order to help minimize instances of passenger misidentification, we recommend including your Rapid Rewards frequent flyer number in every Southwest Airlines reservation. This number is unique to each Customer, and it is helpful in our efforts to identify our Customers electronically and enable online and/or kiosk checkin. We also suggest using your first and last name only (no need for middle initials or middle names at this time), as this will simplify the identification process.

Please note that including your Rapid Rewards number may not always prevent cases of mistaken identity. Customers who encounter repeated difficulty with checkin relating to TSA security procedures may contact the TSA for relief via their web site www.dhs.gov/trip.