The no fly list - people in the U.S. who are considered security risks are not allowed normal access to air travel

Progressive, The, June, 2002 by Matthew Rothschild

"I sympathize with those people," says Weber. "I'm sure they believe they were singled out. I truly do not believe they were."

Backus also went to the Midwest Express ticket desk to find out what was going on. "The names are in the computer, and the names came up," she says she was told.

Lisa Bailey, a spokesperson for Midwest Express, says, "As the group checked in, one of the passengers showed up on this list. At that point, the airline got the TSA rep and Milwaukee County sheriffs. The TSA made the decision that since this was a group, we should rescreen all of them." Midwest Express either found hotels for those who missed their flights or provided transportation home.

Bailey says that screening the names against the list is standard operating procedure. "Everyone who travels is now cleared through this list."

Specifics about the list remain tightly guarded.

"The list is a compilation from intelligence agencies and is shared with the airlines," says Paul Turk, a spokesperson for the TSA. "But as to how you get on it, or how it's maintained, or who maintains it, I can't help you with that."

Turk adds that he doesn't know how large the list is, "and if I did, I couldn't tell you."

Matthew Rothschild is Editor of The Progressive.