HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — As with previous announcements over the past 22 years (since Real ID regulations were first introduced), the concise response remains unchanged; yes, you will require a state-issued Real ID. Despite several delays in implementation, this requirement holds steady.
or other acceptable form
Regarding national identification, you can be almost positive* you won’t face issues when passing through a TSA checkpoint starting Wednesday.
However, notice the asterisk? To elaborate further, what the statement negates isn’t entirely accurate. Simply having a Real ID (along with options like a passport, military ID, Global Entry card, etc.) greatly reduces the chances of encountering issues; however, it does not guarantee exclusion from boarding the aircraft if you lack the appropriate identification. Why? Because just as you’d still find your way back home without your driver’s license during a trip prior to the introduction of Real ID requirements, similar leniency might apply today despite lacking official papers.
If your ID has expired, or if you happen to lose it during a trip, there’s a protocol for identification purposes and extra screenings to ensure you reach your destination,” explained Scott Miller, spokesperson for Harrisburg International Airport. “This process has been around for as long as anyone can remember.
Tracing back to… well, tracing back to the origin of all this, TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein cautions each one of us.
who are cranky
— understandable as they may be in certain instances — regarding the modifications.
Not a single one of those terrorists possessed genuine identification,” Farbstein stated regarding the 19 individuals who commandeered planes on September 11, 2001, and deliberately crashed them—killing all passengers aboard as well as numerous people on the ground. “Each of them carried fake IDs, which led to the creation of Real ID following the aftermath of 9/11.
The positive aspect is that “Wednesdays generally see less traffic volume at our checkpoints,” according to Farbstein.
Beyond
that,
Miller said, Wednesday morning at Harrisburg features nothing but American, Delta and United flights disproportionately carrying midweek business travelers, who tend to travel a lot and know the rules. The first flight on Allegiant — a more leisure travel-oriented airline carrying less frequent travelers — is later in the day. Frontier, which tends to serve broadly similar travelers, doesn’t have any flights scheduled Wednesday.
In contrast, exactly 40 percent of individuals departing Harrisburg by air do so before 7 a.m., hence the system will undergo testing on Wednesday morning.
Farbstein and Miller advised allocating additional time if you’re uncertain about having the correct identification, and even a bit more time if you’re certain, should you find yourself behind someone lacking proper credentials. Although measures are set up to separate these individuals so that verified travelers can move through without delay.
The additional hours needed—possibly many—are due to the possibility that you may lack something essential. This situation can involve more individuals (though it’s unclear exactly how many more) beyond just those who occasionally misplace their licenses.
How long this takes hinges on how many unprepared individuals are present,” Miller stated. “It could go from one person per week to fifty, even a hundred—we’re unsure. This variability is key, and nobody has pinpointed it just yet.
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