Changes Coming for Flying the Friendly Skies
Beginning May 7, adults need a REAL ID (with a star) or passport to fly. Florida driver’s licenses issued since 2010 meet the federal requirement.
WASHINGTON — Beginning May 7, people without a REAL ID star on their driver license may have trouble boarding a domestic airline flight.
The federal REAL ID Act of 2005 set new standards for driver's licenses and identification cards. The act became effective nationwide on May 11, 2008.
However, it took three decades to enforce a portion of the law that was passed to improve airline safety after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
REAL ID cards are marked with a star at the upper right corner of the card or driver's license.
According to the Transportation Security Administration, passengers who don't have a REAL ID or another acceptable form of ID may face delays or be denied while boarding a flight.
The good news for many Florida residents is that state has been issuing REAL ID compliant credentials on driver's license since 2010. All Florida licenses issued since 2010 should be accepted nationwide.
Allegiant Airlines is the primary airline at the Punta Gorda Airport. Beginning May 7, Allegiant Air, like all airlines in the U.S., requires all passengers 18 and older to present a valid government-issued photo ID, including a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or passport.
Children under 18 do not need identification to fly on domestic flights.
A license with a star emblem on the card is a REAL ID. Those without a star and who want to fly must get a new REAL ID license or identification at a nearby Department of Motor Vehicle office.
Documents needed include proof of legal residence, an unexpired U.S. passport, original or certified copy of a birth certificate, Social Security card, Consular Report of birth abroad or certificate of naturalization issued by U.S. Department of Homeland Security or certificate of citizenship.
For cases where the current name and the name on the primary identity document are different, the person should also bring a court-ordered name change document, marriage certificate or divorce decree.
In all cases, the document must show a clear trail of name changes originating with the birth name to the current name.
Facial recognition
Bigger changes to the way passenger board plans may be coming in the next few years, including use of facial recognition technology.
The International Civil Aviation Organization recently announced an overhaul of global air travel through a facial-recognition Digital Travel Credential system.
Instead of boarding passes and checking in for flights, passengers would use their phones to create a journey pass and facial recognition.
The International Civil Aviation Organization described the proposed change as the "most significant transformation in aviation in more than 50 years."
The biometric and digital identity technology will replace traditional boarding passes and check-in protocols at all airlines, the organization states.
Travelers will stand in front of a window in an airport with a plane in the background. The credential system will store passport data on the traveler's smartphones creating the digital "journey pass" that updates automatically with itinerary changes.
These credentials allow passengers to move through key checkpoints, security, bag drops and boarding through the facial recognition without presenting any paper documents or manual check-ins.
Biometric data is unique to each person. The ICAO also says the system promises "greater accuracy" than paper-based documentation.
This change is also motivated for security purposes. ICAO says this new system will crack down on human trafficking and help prevent identity fraud by providing a "more robust way to verify" who is flying.
Delta and United are already using facial-recognition technology.
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