md80fanatic:
The passport RFID is the same as any RFID scheme, completely NON secure.
RFID stands for radio frequency identification. To say it is completely insecure shows a distinct lack of knowledge and respect of the subject. This is like me telling you professional pilots all you need to do to land is to "dangle the dunlops"
RFID works by means of passing the chip over membrane that can temporarily charge via induction the chip to transmit an identifying signal. How secure or insecure this is will be based purely upon implementation. Biometrics etc can be stored in a non volatile manner and can be interrogated as an when the chip is invoked.
Security wise this data can be encrypted in any number of manners - right down to the result being passed back to the interrogation system being defined by method of interrogation. Thus as a programmer I can build in security mechanisms as such that we cannot decode an RFID response without providing the biometric data such as a fingerprint as key (so to decrypt you would need your finger and the chip).
Whilst by no means foolproof and each implementation being different, for people to make a sweeping statement that its unsecure and worthless just shows ignorance of the technology.
As for the proposed/implementation in this scenario it makes me wonder what they are trying to achieve. I can undestand all the privacy concerns etc you guys have but then dont they have most if not all this information anyway in one form or another - is it they are just trying to streamline the getting of you guys through the gates to your aircraft?
I agree you all have access to the most lethal weapon available inflight which is the aircraft itself, with that comes the responsibility of being vetted for such a responsibility - as to being guniea pigs for the ID card scheme then alas its the way the world has gone at this point for better or for worse.
I back you on the privacy issue but what in reality is the alternative, the way we have been working has been proven insufficient. To me as a laymen mainstream ID cards is a different kettle of fish as I dont every day get to navigate a potential missile. I am sorry if I seem out of order in what I say but the responsibility placed in your hands is more than just the pax on your aircraft - its the damage you can do with it. Whilst you are vetted to be able to do this, a vet cannot be commenced at the start of every flight - I am sure we have all heard of the odd person here and there that have gotten their drivers licence by someone else sitting the test - these checks eliminate someone being substituted on the aircraft.
Personally I think all that is being asked is the verification that YOU are who YOU say you are, which is not unreasonable when your visiting an airport where your not known from the next person.
p.s. Profit max - its not an urban myth you must carry an ID or passport - I got fined for not having either on me just a few years ago.