2003feb26. US goes for UK Passenger Name Record privacy grab. Oddly enough, our beloved Doc used to have access to PNRs while working at the airport. His report follows.
PNRs can contain all sorts of info, including such things as, “THIS PUMPKINHEAD IS AN ASSHOLE OF BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS” – that’s one I remember seeing when I worked reservations. Sometimes some moron would say they were going to take up a dead issue with the gate people, so I would warn the gate people (“ALREADY READ THE RIOT ACT TO THIS MORON. SMILE AND IGNORE HIM.”). Surprisingly, I never got ratted out for anything like that, nor did I hear of it happening to anyone.
I think it’s time for everyone to start predicting wild, off-the-cuff security and civil rights abuses, just to see how many days go by until something far worse takes place.