3 ms·

I've used my school ID to board planes on multiple occasions. It's easier than pulling out a passport, and no one seems to really care. Actually, the only time

I've used my school ID to board planes on multiple occasions. It's easier than pulling out a passport, and no one seems to really care. Actually, the only time I even need to show ID at all is at the last step where I board the plane... you can pick up a boarding pass by just answering some questions... and in my experience, the TSA only really looks at your boarding pass. I've also found that their security systems have problems with edge-detection. I inadvertently brought a razor-sharp piece of metal in my carry-on with me from Canada to the US once, and only realized it when I was unpacking. The article is correct: mistakes happen all the time, but it's not a security concern I'd worry about. I'd more complain about the multiple times I get stopped by customs. US Customs held me at DC for 3 hours because I had too many types of US stamps on my passport. After waiting 3 hours and saying "I was a student", they let me go.

goatforce5 15y ago
> in my experience, the TSA only really looks at your boarding pass I flew out of Boston Logan on Sunday. The TSA (?) guy just before X-Ray machine and free groping took my passport and boarding pass, shining a little black light Maglite at my first name on the boarding pass and passport, put a check mark next to my first name on the boarding pass, and then proceeded to do the same for my last name. Black light was also shined on the flight number and a couple of other things, and each was check marked. He then turned to the next blank page in my passport and had a good look at that with his black light. Probably took less than 30 seconds, but he was very thorough in making sure my ID matched my boarding pass and neither had been tampered with.
mahyarm 15y ago
No they don't have a problem with edge detection, it's just how sensitive they want to make the metal detectors/xrays. They can beep at the little rivets in your jeans if they wanted to. I brought safety razor blades with me in a SE asia trip and the only place that found them/cared about them was China.
kelnos 15y ago
Wait, what? At every airport I've flown out of in the US (SFO, SJC, LAX, BWI, IAD, DCA, LAS, BOS, JFK, STL, AUS) just to name a few) in the past few years, the TSA has looked at both my ID and boarding pass before letting me through security screening. And I haven't had to show ID at the gate since right after 9/11. The one time I lost my ID (LAS in 2007 or 2008), I was allowed through security, but only after extra screening.

goatforce5 15y ago

> in my experience, the TSA only really looks at your boarding pass I flew out of Boston Logan on Sunday. The TSA (?) guy just before X-Ray machine and free groping took my passport and boarding pass, shining a little black light Maglite at my first name on the boarding pass and passport, put a check mark next to my first name on the boarding pass, and then proceeded to do the same for my last name. Black light was also shined on the flight number and a couple of other things, and each was check marked. He then turned to the next blank page in my passport and had a good look at that with his black light. Probably took less than 30 seconds, but he was very thorough in making sure my ID matched my boarding pass and neither had been tampered with.

mahyarm 15y ago

No they don't have a problem with edge detection, it's just how sensitive they want to make the metal detectors/xrays. They can beep at the little rivets in your jeans if they wanted to. I brought safety razor blades with me in a SE asia trip and the only place that found them/cared about them was China.

kelnos 15y ago

Wait, what? At every airport I've flown out of in the US (SFO, SJC, LAX, BWI, IAD, DCA, LAS, BOS, JFK, STL, AUS) just to name a few) in the past few years, the TSA has looked at both my ID and boarding pass before letting me through security screening. And I haven't had to show ID at the gate since right after 9/11. The one time I lost my ID (LAS in 2007 or 2008), I was allowed through security, but only after extra screening.