In case you haven’t been keeping track of what’s coming in regards to additional information requirements for ticketing, here’s the latest scoop. This spring the TSA will start requiring airlines to ask your sex as well as your birth date when purchasing tickets.  The program called Secure Flight shifts the responsibility for checking passengers against the no-fly list, or watch list, from the airlines to the Transportation Security Administration. Many of you have heard the story about Senator Edward Kennedy and other well know individuals, being denied access through check point screening because someone with their same name is on a list. This security enhancement is supposed to correct those types of situations.

Realizing some individuals aren’t going to greet this with open arms, the TSA has stated that the information will only be kept for approximately 7 days. The airlines' cost to reprogram their computers is estimated to be around $640,000,000 so they aren’t thrilled with the idea either. Internationally, the plan should be in place at the end of this year.

Who’s going to cover that additional cost burden? Stay tuned, one never knows how things will shake out!