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Using a Costco card as valid ID
http://www.lookingglassnews.org/prin...p?storyid=7040
As a die-hard Constitutionalist, I believe that we still have an absolute, unfettered, God-given right to travel from point A to point B without permission from the state -- in the air, as well as on land. This Nazi procedure of "your papers, please" has never been appropriate for our country. I have had occasion to travel a good deal in the last several months, and on those trips I decided to research and test this issue about the necessity for producing identification. I have talked with agents, and their supervisors, of several major airlines in cities across America, and have gradually pieced together a rather complete picture of the real legal situation regarding our right to travel. Next, I tested this finding with several airlines. When asked for identification, I produced only my Sam's Club card, or my travel agent's ID card, or a Costco card. These are all picture ID's, but they are privately issued, and do not even have a signature on them. The airline agents just freaked out, and demanded to see some state-issued ID. They routinely told me that "it was federal law!" The government absolutely required me to cough up an "official" ID card, without which the agent couldn't even THINK of letting me on the plane. I told the agents that I could not find any federal regulation mandating that type of identification, and then asked them to cure my ignorance and please cite the regulation. Now, at this point, individual airline agents have reacted differently. Some called in their supervisor. Alaska Air employees were the most gracious; Northwest agents were the worst -- they were rude, belligerent and hostile brats. But they all folded, every time. A particularly nasty Northwest employee marched me all the way back to the electronic detection equipment, made me pass through it a second time, and had the guard thoroughly search my carry-on bag. The same airline agent-from-hell actually made rude and demeaning remarks to me as we trudged back to the counter -- and then she let me on the plane. |
What's funny about this is the following story:
When I got my DL in Texas a few years ago, the drivers license bureau (run by the Department of Public Safety) confiscated my old Ohio picture license and issued me a "reciept" to serve as a "temporary" license until they got around to mailing the official picture TX license to me. You can't get one on-the-spot. I looked at the clerk and asked how long it would take. Up to a month, came the reply. I looked at her and asked if there was an expedited process as I travel all the time and the airlines & security folks demand picture ID (not letting on that I had a passport). In all seriousness (and confirmed by a badge-wearing supervisor) she replied: "You can use your Sam's Club card, all the airports will accept that, I can assure you". Idiocy is not limited to the Federal level. |
Cool, glad to hear that he can bring some extra misery to low-paid counter employees in airports all over the world.
That makes travel so much nicer for the rest of us, really it does. |
Originally Posted by TierFlyer
(Post 7372646)
Cool, glad to hear that he can bring some extra misery to low-paid counter employees in airports all over the world.
That makes travel so much nicer for the rest of us, really it does. |
Originally Posted by Global_Hi_Flyer
(Post 7370627)
In all seriousness (and confirmed by a badge-wearing supervisor) she replied: "You can use your Sam's Club card, all the airports will accept that, I can assure you".
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Originally Posted by TierFlyer
(Post 7372646)
Cool, glad to hear that he can bring some extra misery to low-paid counter employees in airports all over the world.
That makes travel so much nicer for the rest of us, really it does. |
I'm using my Library of Congress Readers Card :)
It has my photo, my name, and it's issued by the federal government. It's never failed me. |
Originally Posted by Flaflyer
(Post 7372743)
It is my understanding that it has to be a government issued ID. I believe we have to wait until around 2013, when the net worth of Walmart is greater than the US, China, and 27 other countries combined. Then Walmart will declare itself a nation, take over the UN, and your Sams Club card will become a government issued ID card. :D
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I like to use my FL issued firearms concealed carry permit card, especially at places like SFO :p
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Originally Posted by Yaatri
(Post 7372893)
Who says you have a right to travel hastle free? :D
Luckily I can still travel after waiting in the bar. Favorite line heard from a grizzled veteran NY/BOS commuter: I'm not flying the plane today, gimmie another. |
Originally Posted by GUWonder
(Post 7372677)
... may we find our national way back to common sense that recognized passenger ID is not security.
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Originally Posted by Yaatri
(Post 7372893)
Who says you have a right to travel hastle free? :D
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Originally Posted by mirage1228
(Post 7375356)
I like to use my FL issued firearms concealed carry permit card, especially at places like SFO :p
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Originally Posted by mkt
(Post 7372982)
I'm using my Library of Congress Readers Card :)
It has my photo, my name, and it's issued by the federal government. It's never failed me. It's part of my personal plastic-card carrying reduction act. The California Highway Patrol and local police won't accept the Library of Congress card, but the TSA will accept the driver's license. Ergo, license trumps Reader's card. However, I will be renewing the LOC card Friday after the Freddies :) just in case the Greens take over the world and the TSA hires folk who can read. You gotta keep your options open. |
I collect them :)
I'm most interested in getting a Mexican Matricular Consular.. lol |
Originally Posted by lili
(Post 7376063)
And it has the ever-important expiration date. I have one also, but since I'm licensed to drive, I use my driver's license.
It's part of my personal plastic-card carrying reduction act. The California Highway Patrol and local police won't accept the Library of Congress card, but the TSA will accept the driver's license. Ergo, license trumps Reader's card. However, I will be renewing the LOC card Friday after the Freddies :) just in case the Greens take over the world and the TSA hires folk who can read. You gotta keep your options open. Of course, it is probably only a matter of time before the President I used to like and the boneheads in Congress (pick any party) find a way to justify forcing everyone to use a passport to travel domestically :eek: . Just need to get five justices to 'zeig heil' :D . |
Originally Posted by bordeauxboy
(Post 7376688)
Gotta love the expiration date thing, especially since an expired passport - had to use one of mine to fly when I managed to be simultaneously waiting for a new DL in Texas and be waiting for added passport pages - is considered valid ID to either prove citizenship or get a new passport.
It is not, however, valid ID to get a Social Security number. When my daughter went to the Consulate in Haifa to get her passport renewed, she asked for a Social Security number. It was refused on the basis that her passport was expired and therefore could not serve as identification. After the Consulate had the passport renewed, they were happy to use her new passport to issue the Social Security number. Does anyone besides me see a slight lack of logic here? |
I use my company issued photo ID when I fly within the US. No one has ever said anything about it or asked for anything else. It makes no claim to being in any way official or government issued. I'm really important (not) so mine has a red border. It has a pin click so I can wear it. A really big deal!
At about any flea market in Texas you can get a photo ID made for a few bucks. I'm thinking of getting a variety of them. Queen of England for a start. To answer the question: haven't tried to use my COSCO card as yet. |
I have been told by a few colleagues from Nashville that driver's licenses issued by TN to legal residents, but who are not US citizens, actually say "cannot be used for identification".
As for the Costco card, I have used it twice so far - once at ATL airport and once to open a PO box account :D |
Originally Posted by lili
(Post 7376063)
However, I will be renewing the LOC card Friday after the Freddies :) just in case the Greens take over the world and the TSA hires folk who can read. You gotta keep your options open.
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Originally Posted by 678flyer
(Post 7376967)
I have been told by a few colleagues from Nashville that driver's licenses issued by TN to legal residents, but who are not US citizens, actually say "cannot be used for identification".
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Originally Posted by xyzzy
(Post 7377809)
You should know that for the last few months the LOC folks have been issuing their IDs with new text on the back. They now say something like "This is not a government-issued ID" on the back.
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Originally Posted by Global_Hi_Flyer
(Post 7370627)
What's funny about this is the following story:
When I got my DL in Texas a few years ago, the drivers license bureau (run by the Department of Public Safety) confiscated my old Ohio picture license and issued me a "reciept" to serve as a "temporary" license until they got around to mailing the official picture TX license to me. You can't get one on-the-spot. I looked at the clerk and asked how long it would take. Up to a month, came the reply. I looked at her and asked if there was an expedited process as I travel all the time and the airlines & security folks demand picture ID (not letting on that I had a passport). In all seriousness (and confirmed by a badge-wearing supervisor) she replied: "You can use your Sam's Club card, all the airports will accept that, I can assure you". Idiocy is not limited to the Federal level. |
Originally Posted by MissJoeyDFW
(Post 7382585)
I ran into a similar problem when I moved to Texas. I fly every week, so I asked them before surrendering my Oklahoma driver's license how I could get a picture ID immediately. I was told to get a Texas state ID, not a driver's license but a legal government ID. This ID still takes aboutt 30 days, then come in and surrender my OK driver's license. I just went back to Oklahoma on a business trip and told them I had lost my DL and got a duplicate. Then went to Texas and surrendered my older (but still valid) Oklahoma driver's license. They were right, it took 30 days. I know the Oklahoma driver's license isn't valid anymore, but it hasn't expired on the face so I keep it for a back up. I am constantly amazed at the rental car agents and hotel clerks that have to be prompted to return my DL. This happens on a regular basis, I have to be very vigilant to make sure my DL has been returned.
In WA, we got our DLs there and then - fill out the forms, have your passport checked for valid visa, pass the test, have your picture taken, get your DL; why can't other states be that efficient ? |
Originally Posted by TierFlyer
(Post 7372646)
Cool, glad to hear that he can bring some extra misery to low-paid counter employees in airports all over the world.
That makes travel so much nicer for the rest of us, really it does. |
It's obvious why a Costco card passes muster: only a government agency would issue ID cards with such hideous photos!
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TSA specifically allows CostCo and Sam's Club cards as id, but you have to pass through the id check 144 times.:D
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The OP (or rather the article qioted) is mistakenly mixing up Airline rules and TSA procedures.
Tha airline want to see id to prevent violations of the terms under which you bought the ticket. As an air ticket is a contract between private parties, the airline should be (and as far as I know is) free to decide what id is acceptable to them. Thats aid, it is bizarre that you can OLCI with no id at all, or at a mchine with just a credit card - yet they want to see photo id when you check in at the desk. As far as the TSA is concerned, I am totally in agreement with the OP. It's alarming that almost all of us have been willing to accept the practice of demanding id to pass through security - there is no law requiring it. I always arrive at the airport in the nick of time, so I go along with it like everyone else, as I don't have time for SSSS lines. But the fact is that you are NOT required to show id, and this should be clearly posted at every TSA checkpoint. The number of "don't stand up for your rights because it inconvencies those of us who don't care" sentiments expressed here is very disturbing. How would you feel if others took that attitude towards rights that you wanted to excercise ? |
Help! I just realised that I will not have my foreign passport with me (sent off to an embassy to apply for a visa) when I travel domestically (DTW-TUS) this weekend and next week. I don't have a Driver's License or any US government-issued photo ID, although I do have photo ID issued by a foreign government. I've been using my passport all this while, so not sure whether this ID would work. Does anybody know?
If it doesn't, what can I expect at security and how much extra time should I budget for this? |
Both CostCo and Wal-Mart have been efficient enough over the years to wind up multi-billion dollars in the black.
Which ID would you trust more? One issued by them or one given by the government? |
I'd use my Costco card, but it doesn't look like me. It looks more like a bad rorschach test.
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Originally Posted by Savage25
(Post 7389507)
I do have photo ID issued by a foreign government. I've been using my passport all this while, so not sure whether this ID would work. Does anybody know?
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Originally Posted by xyzzy
(Post 7394328)
It should work. It is, after all, a "Government issued photo ID" All the drones at the airport are going to care about is that the name is the same as what is on the ticket and that it has not expired.
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Originally Posted by xyzzy
(Post 7394328)
It should work. It is, after all, a "Government issued photo ID" All the drones at the airport are going to care about is that the name is the same as what is on the ticket and that it has not expired.
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Originally Posted by mirage1228
(Post 7375356)
I like to use my FL issued firearms concealed carry permit card, especially at places like SFO :p
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Hmm.. that sounds eerily like my Texas DL with a Florida address :)
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