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-   -   Using Someone Else's Ticket (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/practical-travel-safety-security-issues/1382127-using-someone-elses-ticket.html)

TSORon Sep 2, 2012 11:15 am


Originally Posted by sbrower (Post 19213502)
Am I correct that it is still easy to use somone else's ticket for domestic travel? I am not posting the method here, but it seems to me that it would be really easy, unless I am missing something. (I am not talking about using any fake id.)

... will get you arrested more than likely. There are 2 ID checks between the main airport doors and the aircraft, failing at either will get the local police called.

stifle Sep 2, 2012 12:22 pm

The answer to this will depend on the country and the airline. Over here, British Airways doesn't require ID on domestics except to drop a bag.

marklyon Sep 2, 2012 12:45 pm


Originally Posted by sbrower (Post 19213502)
Am I correct that it is still easy to use somone else's ticket for domestic travel? I am not posting the method here, but it seems to me that it would be really easy, unless I am missing something. (I am not talking about using any fake id.)

Correct. Get a gate pass or a lounge pass in your own name, or a refundable ticket in your own name, then use the other person's ticket to get on the plane.

mre5765 Sep 2, 2012 1:01 pm

Domestic USA travel: Some check points will scan the boarding pass.

Some times the TSA will compare the boarding pass to ID at the gate.

There are obvious work arounds that do not require fake ID.

Domestic Canada travel: the gate agent will compare the boarding pass to ID at the gate.

GUWonder Sep 2, 2012 8:12 pm


Originally Posted by stifle (Post 19240027)
The answer to this will depend on the country and the airline. Over here, British Airways doesn't require ID on domestics except to drop a bag.

On many of my international flights in Nordic Europe, I don't show any ID when flying.

There are still those and other domestic markets too where showing ID is not a general requirement.

nicksname Sep 2, 2012 8:34 pm

IME most domestic travel outside of North America doesn't require ID checks, so it would be comparatively easy to get away with this. In fact, if you use local versions of eBay you can find airline tickets for sale with titles such as "Male, mid 20s X-Y on DD-MM-YYY". The fact that many airlines are moving towards self-service check-in is making this easier, however some places are moving towards ID checks at the gate/security

stifle Sep 3, 2012 10:09 am

And some airlines, such as Aer Lingus, check ID at boarding nearly everywhere.

GUWonder Sep 3, 2012 10:27 am

Which airlines still have procedures in place that allow for reassignment of tickets to another person and allow for ticket name changes for such purpose? SAS was the last major airline alliance member where I have seen this done in the past ten years.

stifle Sep 4, 2012 6:07 am

EI, FR, and U2 all offer this.

studentff Sep 4, 2012 8:07 am


Originally Posted by Often1 (Post 19217860)
Point is that anybody who commits a 5-year federal felony over an air ticket, isn't thinking.


Originally Posted by TSORon (Post 19239679)
... will get you arrested more than likely. There are 2 ID checks between the main airport doors and the aircraft, failing at either will get the local police called.

What crime? It's been established that for 99% of domestic USA flights, a passenger who is not on the blacklist could present a *real* BP (refundable ticket) or gate pass with their *real* ID at TSA's TDC, and then get on the plane using the other person's BP without a second look as long as the gender matches the perceived gender of the other person. In that case, no false info was presented to TSA at all. But even for the 1% where TSA checks IDs at the gate, or even if a passenger presents false or misleading ID or BP to the TDC or gate TSO, what is the "crime?"

TSA lists these sorts of offenses on their *civil* fine schedule, which is a heck of a lot different from something being a felony.

The most relevant entries in the fine schedule seem to be:


Originally Posted by TSA bureaucracy
D. Tampering or interfering with, compromising, modifying,
attempting to circumvent, or causing a person to tamper or
interfere with, compromise, modify or attempt to circumvent any
security system, measure, or procedure. Includes the artful
concealment of prohibited items (except for those prohibited
items covered by section III.A., above) $1,500-$6,000

E. Entering or being present within a secured area, AOA, SIDA,
or sterile area without complying with the systems, measures,
or procedures being applied to control access to, or presence or
movement in, such areas $500-$3,000

F. Improper use of airport access medium $500-$3,000

G. Fraud and intentional falsification $2,500-$6,000 +
Criminal Referral

G looks the most serious (with criminal referral), but E and F seem to fit the offense much better, and those both max out at a $3000 fine with no mention of criminal referral.

NY-FLA Sep 4, 2012 8:16 am


Originally Posted by TSORon (Post 19239679)
... will get you arrested more than likely. There are 2 ID checks between the main airport doors and the aircraft, failing at either will get the local police called.

:confused: Arrested and charged with what?
And next time you're in the departure area of which ever airport you're "employed" at, look for those new-fangled things called kiosks. They do not request or require ID on check-in, and neither did my home computer when I printed my BP yesterday. So unless you're figuring gate ID checks as 100% of all departures, (and even then, they're ridiculously easy to circumvent) my math says 1 + 0 = 1 ID check, not 2.

JDiver Sep 6, 2012 8:44 pm

Well, lying to a Federal Agent can always get you Title 18 US Code Section 1001; ask Martha Stewart how that works.


Originally Posted by Wally Bird (Post 19219102)
USC chapter and verse please, I suspect you're bending the statute a bit wrt OP's scenario.


marklyon Sep 7, 2012 7:56 am


Originally Posted by JDiver (Post 19268553)
Well, lying to a Federal Agent can always get you Title 18 US Code Section 1001; ask Martha Stewart how that works.

Why would you lie? There is no reason to lie. There are plenty of ways to clear security as yourself, then use someone else's ticket to fly.

cbn42 Sep 8, 2012 12:13 am


Originally Posted by studentff (Post 19249815)
But even for the 1% where TSA checks IDs at the gate, or even if a passenger presents false or misleading ID or BP to the TDC or gate TSO, what is the "crime?"

You cited it yourself. "attempting to circumvent... any security system". The ID checks are a security system. Attempting to circumvent them is specifically listed as a civil offense (not a crime, but still an offense).

Wally Bird Sep 10, 2012 6:30 am


Originally Posted by JDiver (Post 19268553)
Well, lying to a Federal Agent can always get you Title 18 US Code Section 1001; ask Martha Stewart how that works.

Except that TSA checkpoint workers are not Federal Agents, much as some of them would like to think so. Even the "officer" bit is a sop, a courtesy[sic] title with no legal force. Just like the loan "officer"at your bank.

It is a handy threat for the airport bullies to trot out; applicability is a different matter.


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