No ID check at TXL?
 

I just flown txl-zrh on lh and I was surprised nobody bothered to ask for my id, not at the security checkpoint nor at the gate.
I don't think this is normal... Is is a security problem?

Obviously not since you appear to have arrived at your destination. :rolleyes:

So you were within the Schengen area, and hence, no need for ID. You passed through the security checkpoint, and hence, everyone was safe.

What is the problem, exactly?

Even with the crazy setup at TXL mimicking MCI, it is one of my favourite places in Germany to pass through airport security.

I understand I was in schengen but I thought that I'd check was required in order to confirm passengers names are not on no-fly lists.
In Italy, for domestic flights, ID is checked at the gate for example

Since when does Schengen mean no ID? I've been carded on 100% of my flights within the area.

What exactly does the no fly list accomplish if the person has cleared security?

Passengers don't get asked for ID at security checkpoints in Germany (this appears to be the norm in most if not all European countries).

However, there should have been an ID check at the gate, to verify that the person travelling is the person whose name is on the ticket. There are some countries that dispense with this for internal flights - Norway is one of them; I didn't think Germany was but may be wrong (I haven't been on an internal flight in Germany for quite some years)

(PS Just noticed the OP was flying to ZRH - within Schengen but internationally - so the bit about internal flights doesn't apply here. I've never NOT had to produce photo ID for an intra-Schengen flight)

Why?

It does nothing but protect the airline's revenue stream to ensure the ticket is not resold on the secondary market.

Within shengen, you will not be asked for an ID by the authorities. That's actually the whole point about shengen: travel freely without needing to ID.

It may happen that there is a control somewhere (for example recently for flights from italy to northen Europe, to check for illegal immigrants).

The only moment you'll be asked for an ID, is at the gate to check that it's the correct person flying with the ticket (this is purely airline related, no legal requirement)

On the vast majority of flights within the Schengen area you won't be asked for ID at any point in the process. There's no need for it. Some airlines may ask for a check at the gate, or at the checkin counter, but that's the airline's business and has nothing to do with security.

Yes, this is completely normal for intra-European flights. No, it's not a security problem. At many German airports, the process is completely automated - you just scan your own boarding pass at the gate - the gate agent just handles non scanable passes and any problems. In Scandinavia, you can just swipe your SAS frequent flier card at the gate on many flights.

Airlines are allowed to check id if they want to, but that's just for them to make sure that people aren't re-selling tickets (same as preventing scalping at concerts). Most don't, or do it only randomly.

You can board a car without having to show ID. You can board a bus without having to show ID. You can board a train without having to show ID. You can board a ship without having to show ID. Why wouldn't you be able to board a plane without having to show ID?

After all, this is Europe, not the US...

Funny isn't it how something which is positive is seen as 'poor security' by some?

I read this argument over and over after the attempted underwear bombings ie that airport security in Europe is 'lax' compared to the US because there is no shoe removal and no TDC. :rolleyes: