"You Don’t Have to Show Any ID to Fly"

[David Merrill]

It seems that whenever somebody is buying a ticket online there is a NOTICE that they will need government-issued ID at boarding. It may simply be a fiduciary responsibility. If they turn away business...

[Jethro]

It seems that whenever somebody is buying a ticket online there is a NOTICE that they will need government-issued ID at boarding. It may simply be a fiduciary responsibility. If they turn away business...

I believe that's just "friendly advice", not a requirement much less an obligation. Interestingly, while the airline's contract of carriage states that a passenger may be refused transport for not producing positive identification, it says nothing requiring that ID be "government issued". e.g. https://www.southwest.com/assets/pdf...f-carriage.pdf (go to p. 15, par. 6). I've checked in many times at airline ticket counters without being asked for ID, so I don't volunteer to show them any! No problems.

[walter]

It seems that whenever somebody is buying a ticket online there is a NOTICE that they will need government-issued ID at boarding. It may simply be a fiduciary responsibility. If they turn away business...

In Canada its in the statutes/acts.



Canadian Aviation Security Regulations, 2012

SOR/2011-318

AERONAUTICS ACT

8.2 For the purposes of sections 8.3 and 8.4, required identification means

(a) one piece of government-issued photo identification that shows the holder’s name, date of birth and gender;

(b) two pieces of government-issued identification at least one of which shows the holder’s name, date of birth and gender; or

(c) a restricted area identity card.

SOR/2012-48, s. 2.



I use my own ID. Almost never a problem.
If they insist on government issued then I show the COLB and Baptismal certificate.
It fulfills section (b) requirements.
Both are accepted to fly and both can't be used for any other public use.
eg. you can't bank with them, can't get a DL with them, can't get a passport with them, you can't get a SIN/SSN

The only time they wanted something more then my own ID was because they wanted a day of birth which mine didn't have.
Once I showed a lady right before boarding my COLB and she said "Holy, this is as official as it gets"
And at another time a lady asked what the COLB was?

Lets focus on "government issued identification".
Why do they require it? Besides the fact its law.
If you don't have government issued ID then how can they tell who's liable for you?
If you don't have it then odds are you are a stateless refugee.
You have no inheritable rights. You have no one to take responsibility for you. So why should they the airlines be held liable for you?
Its like when a citizen gets locked up abroad and the country of his origin comes to bat for him and takes on the ambassador role to free him from jail.

Here is the key issue.
They never state what government has to issue the ID.
Only a government.
So when you become of age and govern your own affairs, your papers are at par with theirs, and the airlines are off the hook for you.