How To Get Off The Watch List

Somebody figure it out: Quebec man changes name to dodge relentless airport screening.

A Quebec businessman whose name is one of the many that have erroneously landed on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's flight passenger watch list has decided to change his name to avoid lengthy security hassles at the airport.

Mario Labbe, an executive with a Montreal-based record company, says his Canadian passport triggers a red alert on the computers of U.S. customs agents every time he tries to board a flight to the U.S. - which is about once a month for the past seven years.

"I was pulled aside in a room ... and you have to wait your turn to finally be released," Labbe said. "An hour, an hour and a half, two hours, whatever it is after. Once I was caught in Miami like that for six hours.

He wasted lots of time trying get off the list. No luck.

"So now, my official name is Franois Mario Labbe," he said. "Then you have to change everything: driver's license, social insurance, medicare, credit card - everything." Although it's not a big change from Mario Labbe, he said it's been enough to foil the U.S. customs computers.

It's a good thing the terrorists aren't allowed to change their names.