5. If an airline cancels your reservation or refuses to transport you, you may be entitled to collect damages.

Additionally, you can request that the U.S. Department of Transportation (and, if you were denied passage to the United States from an. other country, that country's authorities) investigate and fine or impose other sanctions on the airline.

6. Under most airlines' conditions of carriage, you have the right to a full and unconditional refund if the airline refuses to transport you because you won't show ID or won't “consent” to whatever they want to do to you in the name of “screening”. If so, and if the airline refuses to give you a full refund, you can sue them for damages and request that the U.S. Department of Transportation investigate and fine them.

To opt-out and get a refund: First, consult the provisions of the airline's "Conditions of Carriage" governing refusal to transport and involuntary refunds. Second, show up at the airport and present yourself for check-in on time. Third, try to document that the airline (not TSA or contractors) refused to transport you.

If you check in first, then later refuse to be X- rayed or groped, or to show ID, you'll likely get the runaround from TSA and the airline, so check in in-person at the airport and tell the airline then that you don't consent to a virtual strip-search or groping (or that you won't show ID). When the ticket counter clerk says, "Then you can't fly," demand an immediate, full, unconditional refund. If they refuse, get written confirmation of all the above to document your eligibility for refund. Don't leave the counter without either a full refund or a written state. ment, on airline letterhead, signed legibly, preferably by the station manager.

Say something like, “I insist on either a full and immediate refund, or a letter signed by the station manager confirming that I presented my. self for check-in on time, that you refused to transport me because I wouldn’t show ID or ‘consent’ to ’screening’, that I requested a re. fund, and that you have refused to provide me with a full refund. I need this to document my eligibility for a refund.”

Matt Says:
November 23rd, 2010 at 7:30 pm

But the airlines are not refusing to transport. The passenger would be refusing to go through the airport’s security. The airline wants you to fly with them because the people are the ones who give them money. There is just another organization between you and the airplane.

Rob Says:
November 23rd, 2010 at 10:22 pm

I downloaded the Conditions of Carriage for the airline we’re supposed to be flying on, and it does say that we are entitled to a refund if they refuse to board us because (1) we refuse to be searched; or (2) we don’t present proper ID. But it also stipulates that we have to show up at the ticket counter on the day of our flight, which will mean that we won’t have time to drive to our destination (3 days driving versus 5 hours flying). Looks like Grandma is going to be upset with us! But at least my children will not become involuntary porn stars or abuse victims, and that’s all that really matters.

If presented with the option to leave the checkpoint for a
private screening, consider politely declining with a “No,
thank you,” as you will likely be asked to remove your clothing.
Pat downs can be performed in public view.