Air passengers flying to the US may have to board their planes an hour before take-off to allow for more rigorous security checks. US Homeland Security undersecretary Asa Hutchinson said the current practice of airlines giving the names of passengers to US officials 15 minutes after take-off did not make sense. Officials want the information earlier so they can check travellers' details against those of suspects on their security watch lists before the plane is in the air, he said.

The airline industry responded by saying any proposals needed careful discussion, adding that they could cause problems with connecting flights and increase the number of passengers who book seats on flights and then fail to show up.

Under a deal signed in May 2004, the United States is able to access personal information on every passenger flying from the 25 European Union countries, and since October 2004 most visitors to the United States have needed scans of their faces and fingers taken under its new US-VISIT program.