TSA’s new proposal could cost some travelers an extra $18 at the airport
Heading into the busiest travel time of the year, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has proposed a new rule that would shake things up. Airline travelers who do not have either a passport or a REAL ID may soon face an additional charge to proceed through security.
According to ABC News on November 19, the TSA has proposed a rule that requires airline passengers without either a REAL ID or a passport to pay an $18 fee.
The $18 fee would be valid for 10 days. This means that once the fee has been paid, any further airline travel within that timeframe would not require further payments.
Soon, travelers who do not have a REAL ID or a passport will have screening at security via a new biometric kiosk system before they can proceed to their gate. The proposed $18 fee would go toward paying for the new technology.
The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on November 20. “To address the government-incurred costs, individuals who choose to use TSA’s modernized alternative identity verification program will be required to pay an $18 fee,” the new rule states.
The fee would be non-refundable, and would be paid through “TSA-approved payment methods, which may include collection by third parties.”
There is no implementation date specified at this stage. The text indicates that fee collection “will begin when TSA announces that individuals may register for the modernized alternative identity verification program on the TSA website.”
Initial reactions to the proposed fee appear to be mixed.
On X, formerly Twitter, one person declared, “WHAT?! No problem just let us scan your biometric data and pay us to do so and we’ll store it. Nothing to see here!”
Another tweet read, “This is just a way to get more money out of people on top of the exorbitant ticket fees.”
Someone else countered, “Good, they’ve had many years to get it done. Charge them $50.”
“TSA really looked at the chaos of holiday travel and said ‘you know what would make this worse? a random $18 penalty for existing.’ Instead of fixing airport security, they’re just monetizing people who forgot a piece of plastic. It’s government cowardice disguised as policy,” tweeted a critic.
On the Good Morning America Instagram post reporting on the proposed rule, several people signaled their approval via clapping hand emojis or other positive symbols.
