Flying an:onymously and flying without security are two separate things. Nobody here is suggesting we not screen passengers for weapons.

So you expect to buy an airline ticket as John Smith? Because if you’re willing to tell the airline who you are then I don’t understand the problem with telling the government who you are? When you assault an FA are they supposed to say “pretty please tell us who you are”?

I think if you’re that paranoid then please don’t travel on airplanes with me.

In fact, this used to be possible. I once flew for work using a ticket that had been purchased for someone else. Amazingly, the plane landed safely at its destination with all aboard unharmed.

And next time when you hijacked the plane, they just arrested anyone named John Smith?

Wow, talk about paranoia.

If the airline wants to know my name and requires that to transport me then I know the rules and can choose to do business with the airline or not. But telling the airline my name and telling the government people at a security checkpoint my name are different things. The way things are now, the TSA is enforcing the ticket n:rolleyes:n-transferability rules of airlines for a net zero gain in security. The airline should be doing that. I suppose you are okay with a policeman stopping you on the street and saying, "Papers, please!" -- we can't be too careful, right?

And presuming one does assault a member of an airline crew, I hardly think they'd figure out who the person was by virtue of their seat assignment.

Uh, hello. I'm not the one screaming NO I WILL NOT SAY MY NAME TAKE OUT THIS TRANSMITTER YOU PUT IN MY RECTUM!!!

I do not believe that saying my name in an airport will bring about the end of democracy as we know it.

Papers please? My goodness.

Oh they don't know who I am by seat assignment? So, what, you won't say your name but you're OK with the government using your DNA to identify you? lol

What, exactly, do you think is going to happen if people are told to say their name in an airport?

Do you realize that by being on the internet you have lost any claim to being anonymous? And you are worried about saying your name at an airport?

W:rolleyes:w. If you'd like to have a real conversation I'm happy to do so. I thought that's what we were having.

Does it bother you when someone asks “what is it exactly that you are worried about”? I have the bad habit of asking questions because I am not yet a mind reader.

You jump from say your name to papers please. You call THAT a conversation?

You jumped from flying under someone else's name to hijacking the plane. You call THAT a conversation? :rolleyes:

So you’re allowed to exaggerate but I’m not? What are you afraid of?

A fear of evolving over time into a 'papers please' country.

Obviously, the answer is no.

I have some simple things to contribute: TSA (except for FAMs) is not a law enforcement agency. They are not empowered to investigate the criminal offense of human trafficking, any more than bus drivers, toll booth operators, dog catchers, parking enforcement, or restaurant inspectors. They are empowered to conduct administrative screenings of travelers and luggage ONLY at the checkpoint. No interrogations, no fishing expeditions.

Yes, human trafficking is a thing. It is not a thing which poses any threat whatsoever to aviation security. It is not the thing TSA is supposed to be concentrating on. It is not a thing TSA is empowered to investigate or combat.

I am not willing to present ID in an airport, but I am required to to do so by the TSA in order to get on a plane, so I do. I would prefer to travel anonymously.

And here is where your non-argument falls apart: Flying anonymously is NOT the same as flying with "no security". It's perfectly possible for someone to be physically screened for WEI without ever presenting ID, and be perfectly safe to enter the sterile area and board a plane. Who some is, what name they go by, is irrelevant to whether they're carrying WEI.

I do indeed know why we have airport security - to prevent bad actors from attacking aviation assets (i.e. planes and airports), or from seizing those assets to use for terrorist attacks on non-aviation targets. TSA exists to provide that security. They do so by performing physical screenings of travelers and their luggage, and regulating physical plant security with airports. Identifying every person who travels by air and recording their origins and destinations does not further that mission. AT ALL.

Investigations into theoretical human trafficking does not further that mission. It is over-reach which costs money and fragments focus, diverting precious, limited attention and resources from the primary mission of administrative screening and physical plant security. It's worse then useless, it's actively counter-productive and damaging to the primary mission.

Name game back?
 

Last week, at the Clear/Precheck checkpoint at SeaTac, the TSA document checker was playing the name game. It took me by surprise because lately, TSA checkpoints have been "seamless" with barely any interactions - the way I like it.
I told him my name was on my boarding pass. He repeated his question, I repeated my statement - he waved me through.