Think you need an ID to fly? Think again.

[proud2BlibKansan]

Although airport security tells passengers they must show ID to board planes, they really don’t
By SCOTT CANON and MIKE RICE
The Kansas City Star

Mocek Flying across the country? Leave your pocketknife in the car. Don’t carry more than a few ounces of liquids onto the plane. And don’t forget that ID.

Wait? ID? Turns out we don’t need no stinking ID.

Sure enough, leaving it behind will buy you hassle. It will probably annoy those in line behind you as the bottleneck of security slows from crawl to standstill. And it means you’re in for a thorough frisking and a greater likelihood that the possessions you’ve dragged along on your journey will be tested for traces of explosives.

But the Transportation Security Administration concedes you still should be able to board that plane.

Consider the travels of Phillip Mocek, a Seattle software developer who grew up in Blue Springs. A few years ago, he read about a court case challenging various U.S. travel rules and decided he didn’t like the idea of having to prove his identity to board a jet.

“I object to what I see as the federal government making a requirement for me to travel around my own country,” Mocek said. “So I started testing the system.”

more . . . http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/567590.html

[RoyGBiv]

1. I have a friend who does that ...

He says he actually ends up through security quicker at the busier airports 'cause he just goes up to the counter and informs them up front he has no ID. He immediately gets whisked past "the line," has his bags checked, and the moves on.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. Maybe I should try it

[Buzz Clik]

3. What's with the chicken?

[here_is_to_hope]

6. You're bad...lol, n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. LOL

Are you from NC?

[Buzz Clik]

9. No. KU did us all a favor by dumping North Carolina.

I'm in Indiana, but I spent some time a short drive down I-70 from the bedroom community also known as Lawrence.

It was a good win for you folks.

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. It's been a great couple days here

My kids went up to Lawrence as soon as the game was over Mon night. 75,000 on Mass St all night long. Then they had a big ceremony at the football stadium yesterday.

It's great to be a Jayhawk this week. :bounce:

[RoyGBiv]

11. The trick, he says ...

... is traveling light with one carry-on with nothing in it but the essentials or check all your bags. Gives them less to fuss over.

And, of course, making sure you don't tempt them with anything that can give them an excuse. Be patient, agreeable, don't wear a ton of metal or have things in your pockets you forgot about, etc.

[ljm2002]

19. Exactly right...

...I have dropped people off at the airport with no ID, they tell the person at the ticket counter, and they are sent to the the special security line that does a more thorough search.

Ironically, going through that line is typically a *lot* faster than the cattle line for the regular passengers who dutifully showed ID.

I've been telling folks at DU this for the last couple of years, my impression is that people don't believe it. Such is the power of propaganda... :-)

[Gormy Cuss]

4. John Gilmore of EFF tested this..

Gilmore is wealthy thanks to early tenure in Sun systems and he could afford to sue the government on this very issue. The gist of it is, yes there's no law behind it and yes the TSA 'requires' it.
Same doublespeak as reported in this article.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gilmore_(advocate)


on edit: if more people objected to the fake security of flashing IDs and removing shoes then maybe the practices would be eliminated or curtailed and TSA would be able to spend those resources on better security measures.

[MADem]

5. Ha! Look at this all American lad! I'll bet his dark-eyed beardedness gives them

coniptions!



But hey, the "respect for authority" theme that BushCo loves seems to be taking hold:

“It makes it safer for us to travel,” she said.

Other travelers said they have never witnessed anyone refusing to show ID to a screener.

Traveling through Kansas City on business, Jerry Combs of Kentucky said, “I can’t believe anybody would refuse to show their ID.”

Yep, don't question authority...that's the ticket!!

This has been a subject for awhile...it can be done, but it takes a fight and a half, often as not.

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. He looks like a terrahist to me!!

:rofl:

[FredStembottom]

14. Makes me think of this Minnesota Art Icon:

If you have never seen it - it's Chuck Close's 10 foot tall self portrait - that used to scare me as a kid.

[Fumesucker]

10. The airlines really want you to show ID ..

It has to do with using other people's tickets...

This was an issue even before 9/11, the airlines would tell people they had to show ID, but because they want you not to be able to use a ticket issued to someone else. A ticket sold that is not ever used is pure profit for the airline.

I heard about this from consumer advocate Clark Howard a long time ago.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. Wouldn't that be kind of hard?

How are you supposed to know who bought tickets on which flight?

[Gormy Cuss]

15. Yep, that's where it started.

The airlines were happy to get the government backing on this one because it stopped the practice of reselling or transfer of tickets by individuals.

The fees for canceling tickets or changing dates have been going up too.

[SoCalDem]

16. back in the olden days, there was a thing called an "MCO"

Travel consultants ( I was one for 8 years) would take the money from the client, and the money would be transferred to the airline, hotel, car agency, whatever, and would be waiting for the client at the airport , hotel ..They would just walk up, say I'm Joe Smith and you have a prepaid ticket for me..and they would give him his boarding pass..

We always thought this was the travel version of the generic "gift certificate", and a way to help the big shots travel with their "wives", without having to explain things to their WIFE..:)

mco= misc. charges order

there were also "Open" tickets.. Just an airline ticket with NO destination or name...just a ticket on AA or UA for say..$1000 or $500 or whatever amount the client wanted.. They would just exchange these tickets at the airport for the flight they wanted :) It was safer than cash, because they could get refunds for lost tickets:)

[AlCzervik]

17. you don't, my daughter is 13, looks like 16-18 and she has a passport and yes i do bring it

when we fly domestically but most times no one asks for an id so essentially she boards the plane sans id check and she has her own ticket which i make her hold on to. I flew from sfo to Chicage about 2 1/2 weeks ago and when we checked in i was not asked for an id, i did give the agent my passport though, i just put it on the counter but she never checked it.

[JBoy]

18. The "show your ID" coersion works on two levels

1st level - they're asking to see it, everyone else is showing it; I'd better show it too.

2nd level - I could challenge them and refuse to show it, but I'll probably end up on some terrorist watch list, no fly list, lose my government security clearance, get my phone tapped or audited by the IRS; I'd better show it too.