Association of Flight Attendants Supports Biometric Security Systems.

Business Editors

BiometriTech 2002

NORWALK, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 3, 2002

President Calls New System for Screening

Ground and Flight Crews ``Way of the Future''

In a recent interview, Patricia A. Friend, international president of the Association of Flight Attendants, AFL-CIO (www.flightattendant-afa.org), said flight attendants would welcome a biometrics-based screening and access security system for flight attendants and ground crews, going so far as to call biometrics "the way of the future."

Friend made her remarks in an interview with Laura Guevin, editor of Technology Marketing Corporation's (TMC(TM)) BiometriTech(TM) magazine (www.biometritech.com). Friend was responding to The Transportation Security Administration's (TSA, www.tsa.dot.gov) recently announced plans to institute background checks for all transportation workers who enter secure areas of airports and other transportation facilities. Employees who pass the check would receive biometrically enhanced, tamperproof identification cards, which would enable them to gain access to those secured areas.

Friend acknowledged the new system would be a major improvement over existing security measures, particularly for ground crews. She said there are currently no consistent means for screening ground crew employees, their bags are not x-rayed, and they can basically bring whatever they want into high-security areas.

"It's just an opportunity to be exploited," said Friend. She stressed that when it comes to the safety of flight crews, all safety measures must be considered. "We have the most to lose, along with the passengers." Friend said the Association supports biometric technologies, in tandem with the proper universal security system, for all airport personnel. "We have supported a universal access for crew members based on biometric authentication. That's the way of the future," she said.

Friend said she doesn't believe flight attendants will have any complaints about invasion of privacy if biometric identification standards are enforced, since they are already subject to criminal background checks and random drug and alcohol testing.

According to Guevin, the AFA stance is representative of one that has not wavered as time passes since the September 11th terrorist attacks. "All of the companies and organizations I've talked to are committed to not being the group blamed for the next attack. From aviation to law enforcement to public sector transportation authorities, no one wants a breach in their security to provide the window of opportunity for terrorists. And they all acknowledge that biometrics must be an integral part of the system," explained Guevin.

TMC president Rich Tehrani notes that based on views similar to Friend's, he decided to create the BiometriTech(TM) conference where organizations can go to learn more about burgeoning biometrics solutions. "We recognize that there is a strong need for many organizations to implement biometric security solutions into their environments for a variety of reasons. Yet, there are few forums where you can get objective info about the biometrics market. That's why we launched an event in June that educates companies and organizations about how to select and deploy biometric technologies intelligently," explained Tehrani.

For more information about BiometriTech(TM) magazine, please contact Laura Guevin at 203-295-2121. For more information about the BiometriTech(TM) conference this summer in New York, please visit www.biometritech.com.

About BiometriTech(TM):

BiometriTech magazine covers biometric technologies, or the use of physical characteristics such as fingerprints or voice to authenticate users and control access. The magazine's goal is to provide the latest news, along with original articles and columns from our knowledgeable staff and outside experts, covering technology issues, implementation obstacles and solutions, and successful installations of biometric components and the results they have yielded. BiometriTech(TM) also features product and technology reviews from our very own TMC Labs testing facility. Additionally, our in-house columnists focus on the very important balance of security and privacy, and the inherent impact biometrics will have on our personal freedoms.

The companion BiometriTech(TM) conference will be held June 25-27, 2002 in New York. For more information, please visit www.biometritech.com.