Even if travel issues may be ahead of the deadline for a quick approach to actual IDs, many Americans are rushing to get important new identifications.
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issued a press release reminding Americans of the May 7 deadline, warning of the delay.
“We can expect passengers who present a state-issued identification that is not compliant with their actual ID and do not have another acceptable alternative (passport) to face delays, additional screenings, and the possibility that security checkpoints will not be allowed,” the release states.
Real ID appointments added due to New Jersey residents struggling to obtain new IDs
Air travel at domestic airports requires you to present your actual ID to fly.
TSA spokesman Lorie Dankers told Fox News Digital that “81% of the public are ready for actual ID enforcement.”
A TSA spokesman said about 20% of Americans are not ready for the looming actual ID deadline. (TSA)
“It could leave 19% that’s not ready,” Dunkers said.
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When asked if the implementation of the actual ID would affect travel time, Dunker said, “When you do math, the reasonable response is to arrive early.”
Passports can be used to board domestic flights and enter federal facilities. (via Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Image Group Getty Images)
“The length of experience for a delayed traveler is determined by the number of other travelers who do not have actual ID-compliant credentials, or by the alternative form of identification accepted by the TSA,” the spokesman added.
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Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and author of the blog View From the Wing, said that while he doesn’t think there’s a “meaning delay” in Fox News Digital, it will affect travel times.
An example of the actual ID shows the gold star in the upper right corner shared by the TSA. (US Traffic Security Agency)
“Even calling another TSA staff member to handle time-consuming TSA staff, if there is additional identity verification,” Leff said.
“We’ll increase it to thousands of passengers per day, without using real IDs (or 10 seconds per passenger, to see what ID the document checker is), which increases across thousands of passengers per day at large airports,” says Leff.
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He continued, “It could be a meaningful bottleneck.”
