“The ID you presented is NOT REAL ID-compliant,” the paper reads. “You will need a REAL ID or other acceptable form of identification for your next flight or you may expect delays.”
At Philadelphia International Airport, an agent with the Transportation Security Administration was pre-checking travelers’ IDs as they entered the security check line. Agents had papers ready for people whose IDs didn't comply.
Suzy Roberts, a traveler who didn't have a REAL ID, passed through security without a hitch at Oakland airport in Northern California. Officials gave her the TSA handout, advised her to call the DMV to make an appointment, and said she might have to go through extra screening.
“I’m going through, they’re just gonna do extra security and they’ll take my photo,” Roberts explained as she waited for her bag to be screened before her flight to Los Angeles.
The new requirement for domestic flights has been the subject of much discussion on social media in recent weeks, with people expressing confusion about whether they can travel without a REAL ID, sharing details about wait times and seeking advice on how to meet the requirements.
Airport security checkpoints will also be accepting passports and tribal identification as usual, said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem earlier this week.
No lines at the airport, lines to get IDs
Many airports reported wait times of a few minutes at security checkpoints on their websites on Wednesday morning, although some had longer waits. LaGuardia Airport reported no wait at one TSA PreCheck checkpoint and wait times ranging from 2 to 11 minutes in the general lines. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport’s website showed wait times at its security checkpoints ranging from 5 to 16 minutes.
Nashville International Airport posted on social media that wait times were less than 20 minutes on Wednesday morning, but urged travels to help keep things running smoothly by brining a REAL ID.
The day ahead of the deadline, people lined up at government offices across the country to secure their compliant IDs. In Chicago, officials established a Real ID Supercenter for walk-in appointments, while officials in California and elsewhere planned to continue offering extended hours for the crush of appointments.
“I’m here today so I won’t be right on the deadline, which is tomorrow," said Marion Henderson, who applied for her REAL ID on Tuesday in Jackson, Mississippi.
Michael Aceto waited in line at a DMV in King of Prussia, in the Philadelphia suburbs, for about two and a half hours Tuesday before getting his REAL ID.
“It’s a pain in the butt. It’s really a lot of time. Everybody’s got to take off from work to be here,” he said. “It’s a big waste of time as far as I’m concerned.”
Travelers without REAL ID still will be able to fly
The Homeland Security secretary assured people who don't yet have a REAL ID but need to take a domestic flight Wednesday that they will be able to fly after clearing additional identity checks.
Noem told a congressional panel on Tuesday that 81% of travelers already have REAL IDs. Those who still lack an identification that complies with the REAL ID law “may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step,” Noem said.
The Transportation Security Administration warned people who don’t have identification that complies with REAL ID requirements to arrive early at the airport and be prepared for advanced screening to avoid causing delays. It wasn’t clear how many passengers, if any, were pulled aside for extra screening.
New requirements prompt questions and advice
REAL ID is a federally compliant state-issued license or identification card that Homeland Security says is a more secure form of identification. It was a recommendation by the 9/11 Commission and signed into law in 2005. It was supposed to be rolled out in 2008 but the implementation had been repeatedly delayed.
¨The whole idea here is to better validate those individuals that were encountering a checkpoint to ensure they are who exactly they say they are,” said Thomas Carter, TSA’s Federal Security Director in New Jersey.
If people without REAL IDs give themselves extra time, he said, they likely shouldn't miss their flights. "I do not have a belief that this will cause people to miss their flights if they take that additional time in.”
REAL ID also will be needed for certain federal facilities
Besides serving as a valid form of identification to fly domestically, people will also need a REAL ID to access certain federal buildings and facilities.
State government offices that issue driver's licenses and state IDs have seen a significant increase in demand for REAL ID and some have extended their office hours to meet the demand. Some officials have recommended people delay getting REAL ID compliant licenses and cards if they don't have flights planned in the next few months.
“Wait until after the current rush,” said Erin Johnson, a spokesperson with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
Johnson said the department has seen a significant increase in demand for REAL ID in recent weeks. In February, there were more than 48,000 applications for a REAL ID; that has nearly doubled to over 99,000 in April, she said.
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Associated Press writers Terry Chea in Oakland, California, and Tassanee Vejpongsa in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, contributed to this report.
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