The fast-approaching deadline for REAL IDs has many Americans rushing to acquire the essential recent identification, whilst travel issues may lie ahead.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issued a press release reminding Americans of the May 7 deadline while also warning of delays.
“Passengers who present a state-issued identification that shouldn’t be REAL ID compliant and who do not need one other acceptable alternative (e.g., passport) can expect to face delays, additional screening, and the potential for not being permitted into the safety checkpoint,” the discharge said.
Air travelers at domestic airports can be required to present a REAL ID to be able to fly.
TSA spokesperson Lorie Dankers told Fox News Digital the agency estimates that “81% of the general public is prepared for REAL ID enforcement.”
“That potentially leaves 19% who’re unprepared,” Dankers said.
When asked if the implementation of REAL IDs will impact travel times, Dankers said, “When you do the mathematics, the reasonable response can be to reach early.”
“The length of the delay travelers experience can be determined by the variety of other travelers who do not need a REAL ID-compliant credential, or one other type of identification accepted by TSA,” the spokesperson added.
Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and creator of the blog “View From the Wing,” told Fox News Digital he doesn’t expect there can be “meaningful delays,” but it’s going to impact travel times.
Leff says, “If there are additional identity verifications to undergo, even calling over one other TSA staff member to handle that takes time.”
“Take even an additional 10 seconds per passenger without REAL ID (or 10 seconds per passenger while the document checker verifies what sort of ID it’s) and multiply that out across 1000’s of passengers per checkpoint per day at larger airports,” said Leff.
He continued, “That would change into a meaningful bottleneck.”
The fast-approaching deadline for REAL IDs has many Americans rushing to acquire the essential recent identification, whilst travel issues may lie ahead.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issued a press release reminding Americans of the May 7 deadline while also warning of delays.
“Passengers who present a state-issued identification that shouldn’t be REAL ID compliant and who do not need one other acceptable alternative (e.g., passport) can expect to face delays, additional screening, and the potential for not being permitted into the safety checkpoint,” the discharge said.
Air travelers at domestic airports can be required to present a REAL ID to be able to fly.
TSA spokesperson Lorie Dankers told Fox News Digital the agency estimates that “81% of the general public is prepared for REAL ID enforcement.”
“That potentially leaves 19% who’re unprepared,” Dankers said.
When asked if the implementation of REAL IDs will impact travel times, Dankers said, “When you do the mathematics, the reasonable response can be to reach early.”
“The length of the delay travelers experience can be determined by the variety of other travelers who do not need a REAL ID-compliant credential, or one other type of identification accepted by TSA,” the spokesperson added.
Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and creator of the blog “View From the Wing,” told Fox News Digital he doesn’t expect there can be “meaningful delays,” but it’s going to impact travel times.
Leff says, “If there are additional identity verifications to undergo, even calling over one other TSA staff member to handle that takes time.”
“Take even an additional 10 seconds per passenger without REAL ID (or 10 seconds per passenger while the document checker verifies what sort of ID it’s) and multiply that out across 1000’s of passengers per checkpoint per day at larger airports,” said Leff.
He continued, “That would change into a meaningful bottleneck.”
