Interestingly enough I just flew yesterday SYD-OOL (Gold Coast). Checked in at the automated machine with my PNR. Got BP. Dropped luggage off (got another BP since seat changed). Went through security. Got on aircraft.

Never took my ID out or was asked for it once.

I didn't think you could do this anymore either.

Security screening at SFO is done by a private company, Covenant Aviation Security, not the TSA.

Perfectly normal for Australian domestic. It's the US that's weird with its ID obsession.

Depends on the agent. For the most part, should not be an issue taking a couple together, but some are really gung-ho about going by the book, no exceptions, zero tolerance, etc. and will only take 1 at a time.

So when I travel it is my cc , I paid :confused:and my info. What if my family dont have it.? Weird.

I fly internationally amongst and within NPU countries and Germany and it's rather rare that my ID is checked by anyone -- even the airline reps -- when flying with carry-on luggage only.

For domestic flights, lots of countries don't generally have ID checks. Most of my domestic flights within European countries, for example, don't involve an ID check.

A lot of countries have this especially for international flights. They check if you have a boarding pass before even letting you near the border control. Difference is the US has the TSA checking IDs to match the boarding pass (and they don't have exit border control), whereas in other places they check you have a boarding pass and that's it.

Sorry about the confusion. I'm referring to the OP's issue of the TSA document checker chiding her for trying to stand next to her husband while his ID was being checked. Not referring to checking in at the ticket counter with an airline employee.

We have always tended to go up one at a time and if the agent waves up the other then fine. We have had a couple agents make us do it one at a time, but I would say 90% allow the family or couple come together.

It's a bit silly, really. The TDC can't really take a 'zero tolerance' attitude because there will always be exceptions: notably, families with young children or wheelchair-bound or otherwise-needing-assistance pax.

I wonder if there is a renewed emphasis on 'one at a time' because of the woman who just got caught (again) trying to stow away on a plane. Somehow she's getting through security, specifically, I'm guessing she's getting past the TDC by mingling with other people.

No confusion at all. When I travel we all go everywhere together. we want to plus like I said I am the one with all the info.
So no I am not referring to the ticket counter.

Pretty much the same for us. Have had agents ask if we're together or have noticed we're together and have waved the other one forward. Pretty much the same thing was happening, depending on the line configuration, where there was an agent sorting PreCheck. For awhile my wife had PreCheck and I didn't, which I hopefully solved with my recent GE enrollment, and the agent would often let me go with her.

It was in a news article for the San Jose one that she waited for a big family to go up and she blended in with them.

This was the same tactic that the child who flew out of St. Louis did a few months back to get to Las Vegas.

Same might have happen with boarding the plane since elderly/disabled are allowed to board first. Pretend to be part of the group and you're in.

I've gone through SFO TSA document check w/ my partner next to me.

When I was married to my american husband they hated this. we could some times go in 2 different check lines The rules.. Airport hated that. They would ask questions paper work And only one could have it as a married couple. It got ugly a lot of times. Figure that one out. It happened a few times they would call over one of us to a different line Really angry.