nomii

My aunt, a non-US citizen is currently visiting Grand Canyon (staying in Flagstaff area).

She lost her passport. She will file a police report. But the problem is there is no consulate in Flagstaff or Phoenix to get a replacement - the closest embassy for her home country is in LA or Chicago and requires to pickup passport in person for biometric reasons which means somehow being allowed on a plane without ID.. Well LA can be done by bus, but she has relatives in Chicago but no one to help her drive around/stay in LA while she sorts out the mess.

Her flight back home in a few days is: Flagstaff -> Phoenix -> Chicago -> HomeCountry.

I'm going to assume that chances are slim to none that she'll be allowed on this flight. But is there any way to make her case "stronger" to get on the domestic segments of the flight till Chicago, besides a lost-passport police report? Basically, how do you convince the TSA/Airline to let you on a plane when you don't have an ID?

She absolutely needs to get to Chicago (or LA/NYC/DC) to get a replacement passport, so needs a way to get on the plane without an id.

I'm mostly looking for suggestions and first-hand experiences if you were allowed on a plane without an id.

Doc Savage

Does she have any other forms of ID, e.g., drivers license, credit cards, library cards, etc.? I'd gather it all, get the police report, perhaps get the consulate to send a letter stating she is going to Chicago to pick up a replacement, and then show up at the airport 4 hours before the flight to try to get things sorted out.

Worst case scenario is a drive to LA. At least that's not too far.

Good luck!


P.S. I'm guessing there's no chance she made a photocopy of her PP...?

I'm paranoid and have a scan online where I can get to it.

ETA: it is essentially certain she won't be able to board an international itinerary, even the first flight, without a PP.

nomii

Thanks. Has anyone successfully split the itinerary so that the Flagstaff to Chicago becomes a domestic flight without passport check? This is on American Airlines. I don't want to call them if this isn't possible because then an agent might put a note in the reservation, removing all possibilities of the agent at Flagstaff forgetting to check it.

Doc Savage

They won't forget to check. They face huge fines if someone is flown without proper documentation to enter their destination country.

Often1

OP's mother won't be checked in for the domestic segments until she shows the documents required for HomeCountry. That will flash up in front of the check-in agent, so it's not about "forgetting".

You are going to need to figure out whether your mother can provide sufficient other ID (TSA can still process her, but it does need something, or whether she drives to LA and then reroutes her travel home LAX-ORD.

There may be change fees & fare dfferences involved, but you may also get lucky with a nice agent who waives them.

Doc Savage

It's about a 6 hour drive to LA from Phoenix. That would seem to be the best bet to get her replacement PP.

guv1976

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

Amtrak's Southwest Chief serves Flagstaff, with service to both Los Angeles and Chicago. Amtrak's ID requirements might be more liberal than an airline's.

SFOYVR

Split the itin. A driver's license will suffice for TSA and the domestic flight GA's. Forget about being able to fly out of the country though, though that's not what you're asking to do. Just split the itin and she'll be fine.

howtofreetravel

I have heard of a rare case when someone was able to fly without an Id but he was american so sadly I think no way to fly without an id

cbn42

With regard to TSA, it is possible to board a flight without ID. TSA will usually look the person up in a credit database (she needs to have a US credit record) and ask questions, and then do a pat-down of the person. With regard to the airline, they will not allow her to board without the passport, even for the domestic segment. The reason is that check-in for both segments happens at the origin, and that is the only opportunity they have to verify that she has the correct documentation. It may be possible to split the itinerary into two separate ones, but that will require paying the fare difference, which will be very high since it is so close to the travel date.

However, even if she can get to Chicago, how long is the layover? Most consulates take a few days to issue a replacement passport.

I would suggest she take the bus to LA and get a new passport. If you tell me the name of the country, I might be able to help with public transportation from the airport to the consulate.

Adam1222

Have you called her home country's embassy or consulate? this is one of the things they're there for

aBroadAbroad

After allowing this query a bit of time to collect some replies at the Info Desk, the thread has been relocated to the Practical Travel Safety Issues forum where it will be seen by more members with an interest in and/or knowledge of this somewhat specialized topic.

NOTE: This thread originated at the flame-free Information Desk — please reply accordingly.

Thanks all, and good luck to the OP and aunt.

~Moderator, Information Desk

GUWonder

There are two issues here:

1. Airline check-in.

2. Clearing TSA screening without photo ID.

The second issue is easier to deal with, but it only becomes relevant if/after an airline allows the passenger to check in for flights (with or without checked bags).

The TSA will allow passengers with stolen/lost ID to fly on condition of playing some kind of identification game with them and of going through extra physical screening measures too as if a SSSS boarding pass passenger. Not really that much or a big deal as long as the passenger budgets say an additional hour for this to take place -- even as it usually takes well less time than that even for non-US persons with lost/stolen passport report.

And now about the first issue and primary hurdle. The airline reps can check in passengers with lost/stolen ID reports, but not all of the airline reps are going to be helpful always. Also, the airline will likely want to charge money for any passenger-initiated changes to the originally ticketed itinerary.

SeriouslyLost

Given the OP says she has a few days, rather than messing with trying to split itins it would seem to be best to simply buy a new rtn ticket to either LA or Chicago, visit the embassy and up travel docs, and return to Flagstaff in time to to pick up the original journey. That incurs the cost of an extra ticket, sure (& that's what travel insurance is for), but it removes the Intl check in aspect. The internal flight and TSA are minor and dealt with via a driver's license and the police report of the stolen license in hand.

GUWonder

Your suggestion is the one I would attempt (more so after first considering to talk to the airline rep at the airport to see if they have any suggestions that avoid purchasing a new ticket and backtracking on that new ticket).