Flying without ID after 9/11
A myth & lie that you need ID to fly
If you listen to the Federal Homeland Security folks and the airlines you will assume that you MUST have some type of government issued photo ID to fly on any airplanes. Well that’s total BS, you never have needed ID to fly on planes and although the government and the airlines tell you that you need a government issued photo id to fly on planes it’s a lie. I don’t know why the government tells you that lie! They probably want to scare you into thinking that you are not allowed to leave home with out your internal passport which in the USA is your driver’s license. I suspect the airlines tell you that lie because the government tells them to say it.
Prior to 9/11 no ID was needed
Prior to the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11 I never flew with ID despite the fact that the public was misled that you needed it, which you didn’t. Back then it was harder to fly with out ID because many of the people that worked for airlines didn’t know the rules for flying with out ID and assumed you had to have ID, which you didn’t.
Flying to the East Coast, without ID
In March of 2004 for the first time after 9/11 I flew on commercial airlines. I flew a round trip from Phoenix to the East Coast, and on both trips I flew without any ID.
I was a little bit scared and at first thought the airlines and homeland security goons might refuse to let me fly. But I was surprised to find that it was easier to fly after 9/11 with out ID then it was before. I think the reason is that NOW all the airline employees know the rules on how to handle people with out ID who wish to fly.
The rules? "No ID - search them"
The rules are pretty simple, “Search the person and their luggage before they are put on the plane”.
The agent wrote "NO ID" on his ticket
On both trips the procedure was pretty much the same. When I checked into the airport I told them I didn’t have any ID. In both case I was told that since I didn’t have ID I would be searched and they wrote “NO ID” on my plane ticket.
Being Searched
When I entered the secure part of the airport I was searched in the same area that other passengers are searched. The homeland security goons searched my briefcase which was the only luggage I took on to the plane. I didn’t check any luggage on the plane. I emptied my pockets, took off my shoes, coat and all other stuff and they it thru the metal detector and x-ray machine that they passed the other passengers stuff thru. After running my stuff thru the machine he guards also searched thru some of it. They also rubbed me down with a cotton swab and sent that thru the explosive detection machine. And last a homeland security goon had one of those handheld metal detection wands that he scanned across all parts of my body looking for stuff. The only thing he found was a money belt which I had on my leg, and he made me take it off and he searched thru it.
In neither case did the homeland security goons search thru my wallet or pockets. Nor did they ask me any questions about why I didn’t have any ID. I don’t know exactly what the rules on this are so I would assume if you fly they may search your pockets, and wallet, and ask you questions, but I don’t know.
On the plane without any stinking ID
In both cases the searches didn’t take more then 5 or 10 minutes, and in both times after being searched I was waved on thru and let into the secure area of the airport, where I caught my plane with out having any stinking ID on me.
Some people with ID were searched
The odd side of this is that some of the passengers who HAD ID where randomly chosen and searched just like I was searched. At each airport maybe 5 other people were being searched in the same area I was searched. I assumed they had ID and were being randomly searched.
