More TSA Follies

[Note, as I write these words, this post is three and a half years old. For anyone coming here in April 2006 via Kathryn’s link at The Corner, this post is closed for comments, but I’ve started another one here]

I’m traveling, and have limited net access.

One quick travel horror story, though. We went to LAX terminal 4 (American) for a flight to St. Louis via Dallas. We got there later than we should have, for reasons both our fault and the cab company.

We got into line as usual for security (we had e-tickets). After waiting for several minutes, we were told that we had to have boarding passes. New procedure.

We tried the self-service machines, but they wouldn’t issue the passes, because we were too close to flight time. So resigned to missing the flight, we got into line to talk to an agent.

Fortunately, our flight was late, so we got our boarding passes and got back into the security line again.

This time, they segregated us into a separate line, apparently reserved for suspicious types, though it wasn’t at all clear what profiled us. This is apparently a new procedure, under test at this terminal (though not American’s other LAX terminal–terminal 3). Apparently they no longer pull random people out of line at the gate for the wanding and luggage rummaging, but instead do it at security. They also no longer check ID at the gate–the boarding pass alone is sufficient under this procedure.

One step forward, two back, in my opinion.

I guess the idea is that they no longer delay departures for people still being frisked at the gate. Now, you get frisked back at security, and if you miss your flight, you’re screwed.

Anyway, we managed to make the flight.

One more irritation. At the gate in Dallas, which was still using the old procedure, they asked for ID along with boarding pass. I have an old expired California drivers license that I use for ID, because it’s no big deal if I lose it (as I did my passport a year ago).

The agent looked at it, and said, “This license is expired.”

I said, “Yes. So?”

“It has to be a valid ID.”

“It is a valid ID.”

“But it’s expired.”

“But I’m not. Nothing happened after it expired to make it no longer my ID. It’s not a valid driver’s license, but it’s still a valid ID.”

There was no arguing with her. She had to see a current driver’s license. Not wanting to hold up the line, I got out my Wyoming license, good until 2004. And fumed.

This is called “not understanding the concept.”

Someone told her that it had to be a valid ID, without explaining what that means.

But what are you gonna do?