Northwest is forced to admit it handed over passenger information to the government

Northwest, based in Eagan, Minn., had said earlier it was not involved in the program.

"We do not provide that type of information to anyone," Northwest spokesman Kurt Ebenhoch told the New York Times on September 23.

Other airlines had said they would not cooperate in developing a government passenger-screening program because of privacy concerns.

The carrier declined to say how many passenger records were shared with NASA from the period offered, October to December 2001. More than 10.9 million passengers traveled on Northwest flights during that time, according to the Transportation Department.

...Northwest said it did not inform any passengers that it shared data with NASA.

...NASA said it used the information to investigate whether "data mining" of the records could improve assessments of threats posed by passengers, according to the agency's written responses to questions.

... The Northwest and NASA documents were released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a nonprofit organization that advocates privacy rights and open government.

The organization, which posted the documents on its Web site, said it plans to take legal action in an effort to force the government to disclose more information about NASA's secret security project and to investigate Northwest's actions.  
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Especially when the company has lied and said it wouldn't be participating. Otherwise, I suppose people might have chosen to fly another airline. Gee, can anybody be trusted to tell you the truth where a dollar is involved?

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.