But the US airlines probably have a better hookup with the FBI computers that are scanning the watch lists (and interpol) whereas the EU in particular had been resisting that capability
None of the airlines hookup to the FBI computers directly. The major CRS/GDS systems are interfacing with Dep of Homeland Security/TSA screening systems (which BTW do not have any new funding due to the CAPPS II fiasco last summer).
The FBI/CIA/JTTF feed alert-list and other intelligence data to the TSA. This is how all US airlines screen pax, and quite a few non-US too. All non-US airlines feed data via the APIS (advance pax info sys) which goes to TSA and Customs. APIS data has to be sent within (I believe) 30 minutes of departure.