Travelers mistakenly placed on a US no-fly list of people deemed a threat to aviation can file complaints through a new government program, the US Homeland Security Department said Wednesday. The no-fly list dramatically expanded following the attacks of September 11, 2001, with tens of thousands of names added, leading to numerous complaints of errors, including high-profile incidents with a US senator and British singer.
The Homeland Security Department announced Wednesday the launch of the DHS Traveler Redress Inquiry Program, accessible via a secure website at https://www.dhs.gov/trip.
"Travelers can now seek redress and resolve possible watch list misidentification issues with any of the departments component agencies at an easy-to-use and easy-to-access online location," the department said in a statement.
Passengers can complain if they believe they have been incorrectly denied boarding a flight, forced to go through additional security screening, or otherwise faced problems trying to enter the United States, it said.
The security department added that it has reviewed every name in the no-fly list "to ensure that only individuals currently posing a threat are included."
The no-fly list includes tens of thousands of names.
Prominent Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy, the brother of late president John F. Kennedy, was delayed several times from boarding flights in 2004 because his name appeared on the list by mistake.
In September 2004, a US-bound plane with British singer Cat Stevens, who now goes by the name Yusuf Islam, on board was diverted because his name appeared on the no-fly list.
Airlines must check each the name of passengers traveling to the US against the list, which places travelers into two categories -- those who are banned from flying and those who must undergo additional security checks.
