"Bob Bruen, MIT Lab for Nuclear Science" <BRUEN@mitlns.mit.edu> writes:

Without actually agreeing with the FAA, the reason you can't have a name other than your own on your ticket, as well as why you are required to be in your assigned seat on take-off and landing is because if there is a plane crash, they need to be able to identify an otherwise difficult to identify body.

This is *not* how crash victim identification is done. The FAR requirement is only that passengers be _seated_ during takeoff and landing, not that they be seated "where they're supposed to be." In fact, many airlines do not assign seats at all. First come first serve for airlines like Southwest, ValuJet, Western Pacific, etc. Actual victim identification varies from mundane (do they have a wallet on their person, etc.) to rather more gristly methods.

Sorry about this,

Don't be sorry.

Bob

Dan -- system@decode.com (Dan Veeneman) Cryptography, Security, Privacy BBS +1 410 730 6734 Data/FAX