Comments on: No I.D.? No Sweat!

By: Cure Escessive Sweating

Cure Escessive Sweating — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:46:30 +0000

I am a frequent reader of your articles and just wanted to inform you that I really love your blog.

By: RR

RR — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 15:39:10 +0000

The security checking peoples IDs at the airport are security officers that are not TSA hired, the airport hires these people to work with TSA. The IDs are not really needed but you will ALWAYS be screened more, with them going through your bags and wanding/patting you down. It will always be that way. It really isnt that bad and people shouldnt be giving hard times to these people, they are trying to keep everyone who goes on a plane safe so we dont have another 9/11. What they expect to find it something dangerous that isnt metal (thats why a metal detecter wont go off)! remember not all prohibited items are metal such as sheet explosives! thats the idea for that.

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 03:19:56 +0000

I’am gonna get flammed for this, but I think that wand-waving, pat-downs and other “hassles” are actually good. I worked as a supervisor for a military passenger/cargo air terminal from 2000 to 2003, and although a military terminal is far less likely to have anything go “boom”, we still took security seriously.
I think that by “changing up” search procedures, ID / NO-ID and other policies, it may keep bad guys off balance.
Besides, I still believe that out greatest threat to commerical aviation is via cargo (and US mail in cargo) with semtex or c-4.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 01:38:58 +0000

The TSA policy is that if you have either no or an expired ID you are still permitted to fly, however, you are automatically a target of special screening.
This has been the rule for at least the past year and presumably before that.
It seems reasonable enough in my opinion.

By: James

James — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 20:18:02 +0000

Soooo…what’s the deal with the “associated wanding and patdown?” What do they expect to find that the walk-through metal detector doesn’t? Isn’t this just a meaningless hassle intended to deter people from making an issue of the ID requirement? A personal humiliation that punishes you for being a libertarian smartass?
I wonder if they had enough wands and wandering hands to deal with the possibility of everyone refusing to show ID.

By: Noah Shachtman

Noah Shachtman — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 20:00:47 +0000

"From personal experience I was allowed through TSA with no ID," says RC... Due to an emergency I ended up at the airport with an expired driver's license(it was in the mail). They made me go back to the ticket window and stamped in big red letters "NO ID" on my ticket. With this ticket in hand I was allowed through the "special" line with the associated wanding and patdown. On my return trip, still no "valid" ID, I went to the ticket window and had my ticket stamped "NO ID". I went throught the "special" line once again no hassle. Due to my looks I have ended up in the special line a majority of the time anyway so I may just use this in the future as a matter of course.

By: Ken Adams

Ken Adams — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 18:31:57 +0000

In my experience, it’s not TSA asking for ID in the security lines, it’s private ‘security’ people. I’ve always assumed they were hired by either the airport or the airlines. Situation seemed identical in recent trips through PHL, ORF, SAN, HNL, and PVD.