I usually carry my ID in a small holder which has two sides -- one for my ID, and one for my AA Gold card ( to allow me elite access at certain security checkpoints ). I flew out of Pittsburgh on Monday and the TSA id checker (different, because I thought it used to be an airline subcontractor) told me in the future I need to take out my ID of the holder and that is the process at every airport. Since I fly every week and never have to take my ID out, I almost started saying something about how the TSA has no idea how to do the same thing at every airport, my brain checked my mouth and I said nothing. Also I thought it had been a little bit of a break (2 weeks) since I travelled late so maybe there was some new directive that you have to take your IDs out.

Anyone have any experience at other airports recently? And is TSA now checking IDs rather than Rent-A-Schmuck?

Yes, that's the new policy. I might start telling them that I don't have ID. They can secondary me. At least at that point, they're doing the work, not me.

It gives TSA more chances to harass passengers.

That's the new process as they run the dragnet for lawbreakers.

Why is it so hard to show your ID? Honestly, this is childish.

Why is it even necessary? Surely the super efficient TSA is there catching all the bad and nasty things which shouldn't be there?

Here in AUS it is possible to fly domestically without showing anyone anything until you walk to the gate and are boarding the plane. On line check in is a boon and there are real time savings.

I've generally found security to be quick and easy, place anything metallic or bulky is placed on the belt, no problems.

Maybe it is time to start looking for the most efficient way to run an airport and design systems, including security to complement this rather than designing a security system and making everyone else conform to their needs.

TSA is there to provide a service not to receive service.

I agree with most of what you wrote except....

Do you really feel showing your ID is providing a service to the TSA? Do you provide the cashier at Macy's a service when you show your ID after a purchase?

If it is necessary or not is out of our control, playing little games with TSA agents (who don't care) is simply childish.


When you act like this no wonder you all seem to have issues with agents.

I think you'll find that if you get stopped by a police officer, they will insist you do the same. Some people have an ID holder, but many people have ID's visible in their wallet. By making you take out your id, they avoid the situation where someone hands over their wallet to show the id and then later claims, rightly or wrongly, that the TSA agent stole money from their wallet. Also, it avoids any situation where it might be seen that a passenger was offering a bribe to the gate agent.

By the way, what the hell is Rent a Schmuck?

To add to the general's post, I'm sure it's much easier to hide a fake in a holder than it is when someone directly handles the ID.


General,
I'm guessing it's a slam on a TSA agent.

It's called an ID holder. It is designed to hold the ID. The correct procedure when presenting an identification card is to physically hand the card over to the person who needs to inspect it. This stems from the tradition of a visiting emissary presenting his credentials to a king as proof of identity. The document was physically handed over to the person who verified its authenticity.

As pointed out by thegeneral, try getting cute with a police officer bickering over an ID holder and see what happens.

Same reason it's childish not to sit in the back of the bus.

I don't provide the cashier at Macy's with my ID, as they have no permissable purpose in seeing it. I don't pay by check, so they have no reason to even ask for ID.

Nice try, next question?

An officer can ask for ID only when there is some cause. Otherwise all you have to do is identify yourself. An ID request to verify your license to drive or to issue a ticket is reasonable and proper.

Requiring ID is a violation of Macy's agreement with the credit card companies, so no.

Pretending that checking passenger ID does anything significant (or anything at all) to improve airport/airline security is childish. Forcing it on people is bullying.

The more dependent society becomes on ID the easier it becomes to get accidentally blacklisted. We have limited recourse right now against the black list.

First our ID must always be presented. Then it must be a standard ID. Then if you don't get a standard ID you are not able to fully partake in society. Then even if you have the standard ID you get blacklisted and told "too bad, fill out this form and wait".

My personal example: I'm just a normal person. When I go to Canada and they see my valid passport they let me in no problem. If they actually swipe my passport I've been flagged and get sent to secondary. If a person uses their own discretion I seem like a normal person, but the computer thinks I'm up to no good. I'm sure Canada's grievance process is as bad as the US's so I haven't bothered.

I don't want to live in a papers please society. First TSA is asking to "present ID", then they want to "handle and investigate" the ID, next it will be swiping and verifying with a centralized database.

I'm not even getting into 1984-esq stuff. I'm just talking about the Real ID stuff coming.

Rent a Schmuck doesnt refer to TSA (though I don't hold them in high regards, either). At most airports, at least in the past (again I did take a short break in flying recently) the id checkers were subcontractors to the airline rather than TSA. Those guys are usually the schmucks.

Just for more consistently inconsistent, I was not asked to take the ID out of the holder in another airport yesterday.