I did not say requiring ID was an attempt by the airlines to rip you off. Rather, its their way to enforce their rules on transferability, etc. I don't mind showing ID to board a plane, but I do mind that the airlines pretend its for your benefit or safety. Apparently, a lot of you were fooled by the airlines on this rather small point.

As far as voting with my wallet, I generally agree with you. However, airlines are special in at least two respects. If an airline fails to honor its contract with me, I have very limited ability to sue them because they are protected by law. (lost or delayed baggage problems are a good example here.) Second, as a result of government regulation, they effectively are a monopoly or oligopoly meaning that one has little ability to vote with their wallet.

This is starting to get far off topic. The point I wanted to make is that the airlines require ID to enforce their non-transferability and other revenue generating rules, and they merely pretend that the ID is for your benefit or safety IMHO.