Decius wrote:
] Elonka wrote:
] ] But in terms of security at airports? I agree with the sign
] ] that is posted at St. Louis Lambert International Airport,
] ] which, to the best of my recollection, says: "Passengers
] ] wishing to fly are not required to submit to search of their
] ] persons or belongings. Such search may be refused, in which
] ] case the airlines have the right to refuse to allow the
] ] individual to board the aircraft."
]
] You might be interested in this, its a lawsuit covering this
] issue which is currently in the courts:
]
] http://cryptome.org/freetotravel.htm
]

Interesting, though I can't say that I necessarily agree with everything in the suit.

]
] 1. You state that an ID requirement to fly is ok if it isn't
] also coupled with ID requirement as bus terminals, hotels,
] train stations, and other travel related businesses. The case
] argues that it is.

Ah, just to be clear, I don't have a problem with ID checks at bus terminals, hotels, and train stations, either. Those are private companies who have the right to refuse service, so I believe that they also have the right to institute reasonable security measures, and I see an ID check as a reasonable measure.

Where I would draw the line (and I understand that *my* location for drawing the line is completely different from other people's location -- this is just my personal stance), is where someone is required to show ID even when traveling *under their own power*. So in my world view: getting on a Greyhound requiring an ID check to cross a state line? Okay. Having to routinely show an ID when driving across a state line in my own car? Not okay.

] This also creates an incredible opportunity for abuse.

Such opportunities exist everywhere, alas. If I may be permitted an "abuse" rant on a related subject:

I have to admit that I've been amused and horrified at some of the laughable security procedures that have gone into place after September 11th. For example, though I saw it as a good idea to limit access to airport gates to ticketed passengers only, then they turned around and said that an E-ticket was sufficient proof that you were a ticketed passenger. I laughed when I heard that, because e-tickets are *trivial* to forge -- Anyone with access to a single E-ticket, a printer, and any kind of HTML editor (including Notepad) could churn out an infinite number of e-tickets with any name that they wanted, within about 30 seconds. Though these forged e-tickets would *not* be good enough to actually get someone on a plane, at the security checkpoint all that would be checked was that the name on the ID matched the name on the printout, and you'd be waved through. I also have personal experience of times that I'd accidentally show the wrong e-ticket to security at an airport (like I said, I do a lot of flying, and sometimes I mix up my tickets), and they'd usually send me right on through, even if I was showing them a ticket for a different day!

Over time, there have been *some* promising signs of improvement, for example, now the airlines require a printed out "boarding pass" instead of just an e-ticket. These are still trivial to forge and place a false name on, but they *do* have barcodes on them which are *not* as trivial to forge, and I have hopes that at some point in the future, those barcodes will actually be checked -- for now though, they are irrelevant at checkpoints, as the screeners are still only checking the name on the printout (and, if they're on the ball, that it's for a flight that's actually leaving from that airport on that day).

Ultimately though, whether ticketed or non-ticketed passengers are allowed to the gate area, I don't see as a major deal, *as long as no matter who it is, they are searched*. Of course, weapon-like things could probably still be smuggled in -- for example, I found it as silly that security would confiscate my *tweezers* from my carryon, but still allow me to carry sharpened #2 pencils, which I'd see as far more threatening than a pair of eyebrow tweezers.

Anyway, that's *my* rant about post-9/11 airport security. I'll get off my soapbox now. ;)

RE: How to fly without ID!