The program seeks to identify passengers who pose a minimal security risk, and then provide those passengers an enhanced security checkpoint experience.

It should be looking for new ways to identify dangerous passengers, but it's too busy following Congress's mandates to search everyone's bags.

The Libyans smuggled a bomb on board in a checked bag, and the system was initially intended to identify passengers whose baggage should be searched.

Inspectors from the two agencies can then identify high-risk passengers so they and their baggage can be scrutinized more closely after the flights arrive.

United has said it has installed software to identify passengers traveling this way.

More cameras unobtrusively installed throughout the airport could identify passengers as they walk through metal detectors and public areas.

"So we now identify passengers needing assistance as they arrive at the gate or check in, but still check them in first."

Over the course of 1998, all the major airlines are expected to switch to computerized "profiling" to identify suspect passengers.

As such, temperature screening machines are used at all checkpoints to identify passengers with fever and respiratory symptoms.

The study recommends shifting the focus of inspection from "detecting objects" to identifying high-risk passengers.