> Ralph Wallis[SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
>
>
> On Tuesday, 24 Apr 2001 at 16:13, Tim May <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > However, it used to be SOP to buy train tickets at the ticket
> > window--for cash and with no I.D. or phone numbers or SS numbers or
> > forehead marks.
> >
> > It looks like the "temporary measures" to combat the "TWA 800
> > bombing" sorts of events, even though TWA 800 almost certainly wasn't
> > a bombing, are now spreading to the trains.
>
> I just read Database Nation, which notes that this was an immediate
> result of TWA 800 and the Atlanta Olympic bombing. (Along with similar
> policies for air travel.)
>
> So it's not a sign of spreading. Since Atlanta was 5 years ago,
> it's not a temporary measure either.
>
I think you've both been blindsided as to the true reason
why airlines ask for ID.
While the FAA did for a while (after the TWA 800 crash)
suggest that airlines ask for ID, it's my understanding
that at no time was it actually a regulatory requirement
(I'd welcome actual cites to the contrary.)
My understanding is this:
1. It is not a regulatory requirement for an airline
passenger in the US to produce identification.
2. In fact, it's a violation of the airline's common carrier
status for them to do so - they must admit anyone who
shows up with a valid ticket. The ticket is a bearer
instrument.
3. Regardless of the legalities, US airlines will usually
request ID. If you refuse, and stand your ground, and can
cite the appropriate common carrier regs, and show that
they can't cite any regulatory requirement, they in fact
WILL let you fly without ID. However, doing so involves
moving far up beyond the counter-droids to superdupervisors,
calls to corporate legal counsel, and unfriendly attention
from airport security. While you would win in the end,
you will almost certainly have missed your plane.
4. The reason airlines do this has nothing to do with
security, and everything to do with extracting the max
from your wallet
Before these regs existed, and citizen units rightfully
refused to let themselves be pushed, filed, stamped,
indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered to the extent
they do today, the bearer instrument status of the
tickets allowed people who traveled often to save money.
It worked like this:
In the US, unscheduled, immediate travel ticket prices are
extremely expensive. On American Airlines, an unrestricted
Boston to San Francisco coach return ticket is over $2400
if I leave today and return tommorrow. If I book a month
ahead and stay over the weekend, it's a tad over $400, a
$2000 dollar savings.
Companies with lots of predictable travel (for example,
one with offices near Boston and San Francisco) would
buy 'John Doe' tickets a month ahead, scheduled for
over-weekend stays. A traveller would go to the
travel office, and pick up an outbound and return
ticket (from different original trips) with dates and
times which suited him, and execute his business
trip at a fraction of the cost of it would have if
he'd bought his ticket in the naive manner.
By hassling travellers who try to use tickets with
someone elses name, and lying that it is illegal
to do so, airlines have greatly cut down on this
cost saving strategy.
If you're going to make more than one business
trip between the same cities on predictable dates
in the next year, you can still execute this strategy
on a personal level, but it requires planning.
So don't believe the lies of the airline spinmeisters.
The only security they are enhancing is that of
their bottom line.
Peter Trei
