JetBlue TrueBlue - Jet Blue Employees Claim US Passport Card is NOT a Valid ID

Just had one of my most surreal airport check-in experiences EVER thanks to JetBlue. Normally travel United, but decided to give JetBlue a try.

Go up to check-in counter at Long Beach (isn't this JetBlue's home airport?) and provide my US Passport Card when asked for ID. Flight was from LGB to SFO.

Had -TWO- separate JetBlue employees tell me that my US Passport Card was not a valid ID and not allowed for airline travel within the US. :mad:

Guess they've never read the TSA regulations on travel documents.

After arguing for a bit, they decided to issue me a boarding pass as a "one-time" exception and told me that if I wanted to fly in the future I would need to bring a "real ID like a driver's license" with me to the airport.

What good is requiring any form of ID if:

1) Employees aren't properly trained.
2) Employees think that a state driver's license is more secure than a US Passport Card?

Still waiting to board the flight (it's delayed due to a mechanical), but my first impression of JetBlue as an airline really isn't a good one. :td:

Funny that they issued you a BP if it "wasn't a valid form" If it isn't, it isn't, and they shouldn't have. But they did. Haha.

Funny that they issued you a BP if it "wasn't a valid form" If it isn't, it isn't, and they shouldn't have. But they did. Haha.

You can still technically fly without an ID so there's not an issue with giving the boarding pass, but it's still quite annoying that:

1) They had wrong information.
2) They yelled at a customer even though they were in the wrong.
3) They acted like doing their jobs was a big favor.

Time for a class action, no valid ID is required for check-in. May get SSSS in person without, but then question TSA, W*F

Get names of all you spoke with, then file a complaint.

Even the TSA has done this to me, maybe 50% of the time,
when I use my $100 Global Entry card.

Lots of similar reports in the Security Forum.
But it hasn't happened to me in a while.

Just had one of my most surreal airport check-in experiences EVER thanks to JetBlue. Normally travel United, but decided to give JetBlue a try.

Go up to check-in counter at Long Beach (isn't this JetBlue's home airport?) and provide my US Passport Card when asked for ID. Flight was from LGB to SFO.

Had -TWO- separate JetBlue employees tell me that my US Passport Card was not a valid ID and not allowed for airline travel within the US. :mad:

Guess they've never read the TSA regulations on travel documents.

After arguing for a bit, they decided to issue me a boarding pass as a "one-time" exception and told me that if I wanted to fly in the future I would need to bring a "real ID like a driver's license" with me to the airport.

What good is requiring any form of ID if:

1) Employees aren't properly trained.
2) Employees think that a state driver's license is more secure than a US Passport Card?

Still waiting to board the flight (it's delayed due to a mechanical), but my first impression of JetBlue as an airline really isn't a good one. :td:

"The U.S. Passport Card can be used to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry and is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book. The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air."

They mention no such usage for domestic air travel, and specifically exclude international travel by air.

While Passport Cards seem like a nice idea, in theory they are impractical for usage and one really should get a regular passport.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/ppt_card/ppt_card_3926.html

Since it excludes international travel by air, one would assume this would exclude Canada, Mexico, Caribbean and Bermuda from Air travel which are all international defeating the purpose if one was using this for air travel, but the domestic air seems to be questionable because they never specifically excluded domestic air travel but at the same time, it does NOT say it is valid for it either.

When the passport card came out and someone mentioned it I thought it was a great idea, but then I see the limitations it provides and am glad I have a regular passport and will NOT be obtaining one of these passport cards.

I agree that the passport card has relatively limited uses, but it is most definitely an acceptable ID for domestic air travel; it is the second item on their list: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/acceptable_documents.shtm

I agree that the passport card has relatively limited uses, but it is most definitely an acceptable ID for domestic air travel; it is the second item on their list: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/acceptable_documents.shtm

Then the issue is a conflict of information from Department of Transportation vs Department of State. They need to clarify this matter.

Even the TSA has done this to me, maybe 50% of the time,
when I use my $100 Global Entry card.

Lots of similar reports in the Security Forum.
But it hasn't happened to me in a while.

TSA agents tell me that I can't use my Nexus card and must use a government ID [sic] all the time.
At this point, I'm only really pulling out my Nexus card just to see if they recognize it or not.

Then the issue is a conflict of information from Department of Transportation vs Department of State. They need to clarify this matter.

TSA/DHS and DOT have no problem with you using a passport card to board the aircraft. The difficulty is that a passport card is not an acceptable document for clearing immigration after you land—I think this isn't a CBP/DHS or State limitation per se, but was explained to me that they impose this due to an ICAO or IATA requirement of some sort. (For example, Nexus passengers are required to have their passport with them as well, but only on intl flights.)

Time for a class action, no valid ID is required for check-in. May get SSSS in person without, but then question TSA, W*F

Get names of all you spoke with, then file a complaint.
Don't you need photo ID to check a bag?

They mention no such usage for domestic air travel, and specifically exclude international travel by air.

While Passport Cards seem like a nice idea, in theory they are impractical for usage and one really should get a regular passport.


I've got both and use the Passport whenever I travel internationally.

I use the Passport card all the time domestically as an ID as it meets and exceeds all the RealID requirements, while at the same time having less easily accessible information than a driver's license.

For example, many state DL's have your address information encoded on a mag-strip in the back. Bars commonly have readers which can read this information and then add you to a mailing list. That equipment can't handle a Passport or a Passport Card.

Fitting in your wallet is also a plus, as a Passport can't do that. Even when travelling internationally I usually still carry the card. The Passport stays secured in a hotel safe, while the Passport Card is used as a day-to-day ID.

The only limitations on the Passport Card issued by the Department of State are immigration restrictions. There are no domestic usage restrictions whatsoever.

Then the issue is a conflict of information from Department of Transportation vs Department of State. They need to clarify this matter.

There is no conflict. The Department of State simply says what you cannot do with the card. If it is not a prohibited use, it is allowed.

TSA agents tell me that I can't use my Nexus card and must use a government ID [sic] all the time.
At this point, I'm only really pulling out my Nexus card just to see if they recognize it or not.

And here I thought an airline employee not knowing a valid ID type when she saw it was bad. I'd be rather annoyed if a TSA agent didn't know policy (but then again I'd be lying if I said I'd never encountered one that didn't -- that's another story though).

Then the issue is a conflict of information from Department of Transportation vs Department of State. They need to clarify this matter.

There is no issue of conflict here. The issue at hand is whether a Passport Card can be deemed a valid form of idenitification acceptable by TSA. And it is. We're not talking about whether it can be used for immigration or other purposes as that's a different matter altogether.

There is no issue of conflict here. The issue at hand is whether a Passport Card can be deemed a valid form of idenitification acceptable by TSA. And it is. We're not talking about whether it can be used for immigration or other purposes as that's a different matter altogether.

Indeed. As far as I am aware, the Department of Transportation (or, for that matter, the Department of State) has no requirement to show ID to travel on a domestic flight. This is a TSA requirement.

Would you expect your state Motor Vehicles office to list every possible place that will accept your driver's license as ID, other than for the purposes of proving you are a licensed driver? Similarly, the Department of State has no reason to do so for a passport or passport card.