An elderly woman was denied access to her Air Canada flight from Calgary to Vancouver Wednesday night — although not because she was deemed a security risk.
When 92-year-old Joyce Taylor arrived at Calgary airport, she attempted to check in using her Visa credit card as ID.
Despite the fact the airline allowed her to board her flight to Calgary earlier in the week using her credit card, Air Canada staff told her this did not constitute valid photo identification.
I thought she banged her cane on the head of the agent, lol. Oh well, all jokes aside. I feel bad for her, but everyone needs an id, but wait didn't AC let a Burkah lady on the plane once?
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What does her age have to do story about someone who managed to get on a plane without ID and is later caught?
It has to do with the fact that in this 'new world order' of blindly following bureaucratic rules above all else, perhaps now and again people in authority could be permitted to use a bit of common sense.
She flew to YYC and didn't blow up the plane. She's 92 and wants to go home. Perhaps someone could have given her an extra wanding, carefully investigated the hard candies and reading glasses in her purse and sent her on her way?
On another note, what if she did have photo ID and it was stolen? Is her only option the Greyhound bus?
On another note, what if she did have photo ID and it was stolen? Is her only option the Greyhound bus?
I'm 39, should that be my only option? not a Harper thing, AC enforced rules, get over it people. I do not want to fly beside a 92 year old unidentified person.
The whole ID thing has never made sense to me. So we show ID. What do they do with that information? Do they have the names of all the bad guys memorized?
A few days after 9/11 I was asked for ID while entering a parking lot . It made no sense, but I played along. When he was finished I said, "Okay, now I want to see yours!" He tried to laugh it off until he realized I was serious. By the time we were finished he began to understand how assinine the whole deal was.
I'm no fan of Harper's, but credit where credit is due: He wasn't elected until 2006 and we were pulling out our driver's licenses long before that.
That means he's had 6 years to eliminate the rule.
Just this week, someone I know got on the wrong plane & airline, and ended up at the wrong airport. This happened south of the border. Two headcounts were done. The crew knew the math didn't add up and they still took off. His luggage ended up on the correct flight.
The whole ID thing has never made sense to me. So we show ID. What do they do with that information? Do they have the names of all the bad guys memorized?
Ahhhh, no. I don't think the gate agents memorize bad guys' names. That's what the computers are for -- they are pretty good at that kind of thing.
Unless I am mistaken, this is the logic: it's the manifest that has been screened by the computer system against the various no-fly lists and security alerts. The purpose of the ID check is to match the face to the ID, then the ID to the passenger name on the BP / manifest. In theory, this should ensure that the people boarding the aircraft are actually the same people on the manifest, which has been screened against the bad-guy list.
As for the 92-yo woman, makes no sense to me that they let her board the first outbound flight just to leave her stranded at her destination.
I have heard of this rule being relaxed from time to time. I think it is possible to cross the border back into Canada without photo ID in dire circumstances if you can satisfy the agent as to who you are. Not suggesting anyone try it but sometimes common sense still has a place.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Souvlaki
As for the 92-yo woman, makes no sense to me that they let her board the first outbound flight just to leave her stranded at her destination.
That's the crux of the issue. How did she get on the outbound in the first place? She's rightly annoyed that they then wouldn't let her come back. It seems strange that shedding have any other ID with her, such as a health card, etc.
The regulation clearly allows for a variety of ID docs. From the TC website:
"Before boarding, all passengers planning to travel on domestic flights within Canada who appear to be 18 years of age or older, are to be asked to present:
One piece of valid government-issued identification that includes a photograph and the passenger's name, date of birth and gender;
OR
Two pieces of valid government-issued ID without photographs showing the passenger's name, date of birth and gender;
OR
A Restricted Area Identity Card (RAIC) (a smart card issued to airport workers).
IMPORTANT: The name on the identification that is provided must match the name on the boarding pass."
Ahhhh, no. I don't think the gate agents memorize bad guys' names. That's what the computers are for -- they are pretty good at that kind of thing.
..
Yeah, computers are great at verbatim storage. However, the input to the list of bad guys is crap, and the "fuzzy matching" algorithms they use for matching are even worse.
Anyway, forced ID requirements set a minimum bar for those who want to abuse / lie to the system.
Code:
You must be at least this smart
----------------------
to commit terrorism on a plane.
Whoaaaaa 
. It made no sense, but I played along. When he was finished I said, "Okay, now I want to see yours!" He tried to laugh it off until he realized I was serious. By the time we were finished he began to understand how assinine the whole deal was.
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