Hassled for personal information?
 

hello, all. forum virgin here, so forgive me if i'm asking a question that's been answered many times over.

i'm wondering: has anyone here been hassled by the TSA personnel for personal information? like, former addresses, wedding anniversary dates, and so on?

apparently, it's a new policy—you can be asked for all of that info if you don't have a picture ID that they consider valid.

i'm a reporter with a big city paper in NYC, and i'm trying to find flyers who've gone through that experience at JFK or LGA, specifically.

if you fit that description, reply to the thread, or better yet, email me at [email protected]

thanks so much!

ajr

What is your opinion of the TSA and its policies? What angle will your report take?

test TSA checkpoint policies with unused fully-refundable ticket
 

Abraham, keep in mind that you can experiment with this policy yourself without having to fly. Purchase a fully-refundable ticket, check in sufficiently early on the day of the flight, go through the TSA checkpoint to gather your information, then call and cancel your flight. Repeat as needed.

Also, you should get in touch with The Identity Project, who might be able to refer you to someone who has the experience you seek. Jim Harrison and Bill Scanell of TIP put me in contact with some reporters who ended up running a front-page story about my interaction with TSA.

Please post a link to your story here if it gets published.

But I don't remember my first two anniversary dates. And how would they know if I made them up?

That should make traveling with the mistress even more fun.

:D :o

thanks much. i'll contact them asap.

the link to your story seems to be dead... where is the article?

Wedding Anniversary Dates...
 

And just how many wedding anniversary dates might they require I'm wondering...?

6/14/87. 6/14/88. 6/14/89. 6/14/90. ... 6/14/08. ("Sorry, shall I go on?")

Maybe leave out 6/14/94 just to see what they say. :p

And now I have to go lie down, I'm feeling old...

Guess forum virgins don't have a search button?

More of a questioning technique than hassle. An evasive person will stammer and studder as they try to think of the most correct answer, a non-evasive person will answer matter-of-factly and then ask why they need to know, and a FTer will denounce them as satanic drones with Hitleresque intentions and demand to speak to the FSD, Chertoff, and their lawyer...while posting on here. Either way, the TSA accomplishes their mission. Good luck on the story.

Post of the Day :D

Plenty of people can be nervous due to the stress of the airport experience, fear of flying, fear of authority or confrontation, etc. And thus may stammer, seem to take too long to think of the answer, etc.

Of course, as far as the FTers go, the answer will indeed usually be, "Go SPOT yourself, and do the same to Komrade Kippie and Skeletor whilst you're at it." :)

other papers ran KC Star article re: airport ID
 

The Kansas City Star removes stories from its public site after a while and makes them available only for fee.

That story was also run by the Seattle Times ("If truth be told, you don't always need ID for domestic flights" by Scott Canon and Mike Rice, April 14, 2008) and by the Arizona Daily Star ("You can fly without ID, but a hassle will accompany you" by Scott Canon and Mike Rice, April 20, 2008)

NYC reporter: Status of your TSA research?
 

Abraham, can you give us an update on your research?