Non-travelers going through security are getting the same benefits as travelers going through security.

Weapons and bombs airside can be dangerous to people in the terminal, as well as in the air.

Airplanes being hijacked and crashed into the ground or buildings is just as dangerous for the people on the plane as it is for the people who are getting crashed into. Besides the economic costs of having property destroyed, emergency services, investigations, etc.. Everyone has a stake in air travel security, not just the people on the plane.

I could also argue that non-travelers' names should be run through the FBI database that everyone else's names are run through, in the interest of security. That would cost money too.

Additionally, non-travelers are taking up security time, delaying the people behind them who may have a plane to catch in a hurry.

And finally, to set up and maintain kiosks there would definitely be a cost.

I'd say charging everyone an equal amount, $2.50, would make plenty of sense. Travelers are already getting penalized because they have to pay $5.00 on a two segment one-way trip, even though they're only going through security once.


Also:
Showing ID three times does improve security:

(1) Picking up your ticket at ticketing. If one doesn't have to show his ID when picking up a ticket, anyone could walk up and get your boarding pass issued for a flight. You wouldn't be so happy if that happened.

(2) Showing ID with your boarding pass at the security line ensures that only ticketed passengers get through security. If one doesn't have to show his ID and boarding pass, then anyone could get through security with anyone else's boarding pass. That would defeat the purpose of only allowing ticketed passengers through security.

(3) Showing ID with your boarding pass to get on the plane is the only way to ensure that the wrong person doesn't get on a flight. If you don't have to show ID to get on a plane, a hijacker on the FBI no-fly list could just have his friend who's not on the list buy a ticket for a flight, check in and get a boarding pass issued. The hijacker could pass through security by buying a ticket for another flight, or forging an e-ticket receipt. Then, he could take his friend's boarding pass and walk onto the flight he planned on hijacking with no problems.

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