U.S. seeks information on families of flyers and several days advance notice to the government before flying

And I used to think that the State of New York tax authorities had a long arm when it sought to tax income I earned in Ohio while a resident of New Jersey simply because I also had some New York income:

The US administration is pressing the 27 governments of the European Union to sign up for a range of new security measures for transatlantic travel, including allowing armed guards on all flights from Europe to America by US airlines.

The demand to put armed air marshals on to the flights is part of a travel clampdown by the Bush administration that officials in Brussels described as "blackmail" and "troublesome", and could see west Europeans and Britons required to have US visas if their governments balk at Washington's requirements.

According to a US document being circulated for signature in European capitals, EU states would also need to supply personal data on all air passengers overflying but not landing in the US in order to gain or retain visa-free travel to America, senior EU officials said.

And within months the US department of homeland security is to impose a new permit system for Europeans flying to the US, compelling all travellers to apply online for permission to enter the country before booking or buying a ticket, a procedure that will take several days.

The data from the US's new electronic transport authorisation system is to be combined with extensive personal passenger details already being provided by EU countries to the US for the "profiling" of potential terrorists and assessment of other security risks.

Washington is also asking European airlines to provide personal data on non-travellers - for example family members - who are allowed beyond departure barriers to help elderly, young or ill passengers to board aircraft flying to America, a demand the airlines reject as "absurd".

This is utterly absurd. Particularly, the online permission demand. Business travelers often have to hop on a plane with less than a few hours advance notice as their plans change or emergencies arise. Requiring them to register several days in advance is ridiculous.

If the U.S. insists on this, I hope the Europeans retaliate by requiring US citizens to give up the credit card numbers, social security numbers, and tax returns of all their relatives before being allowed to fly to Europe.