TSA Head: Mug Shots To Become Mandatory For Air Travel [Roundup]

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About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. Ah, airports. Where you are presumed guilty until proven innocent. Just add that lovely frame of mind to your other anxieties of being late for flights or flights being delayed/canceled and forgetting to pack something…etc., etc., and It’s really no wonder these places are islands of varying degrees of dread and anxiety. lol

  2. The usual mission creep. I wonder who is profiting off the hardware. (Tracing out the companies who make the Chambers of Horrors people shuffle into like cattle down a chute I’ve found some big interlocking companies invested in making and selling them.) Anyway, I wonder how good any of this is. Recently I had to match a passport picture to get through an emigration gate in another country. It wouldn’t work! Two months of beard growth totally confused the system and a person had to override it. Lots of luck when that happens with the Thousands Standing Around organization.

  3. Of course, they will keep this information to themselves and not share it with other agencies for future facial recognition Big Brother stuff that they definitely don’t do ever.

  4. In what way is the photo requirement for air travel any different than requiring a valid photo ID for air travel. Who (stinkin’) cares? This is a non-issue.

    Heck, Disneyland takes your picture upon entry.

  5. The U.S. has undergone far too much consolidation in the airline industry. Of course American and United want more consolidation. Fewer players = a better ability to gouge passengers.

  6. I just returned from 6 countries in SE Asian and, in many, mug shots are already mandatory to get through passport control. Get used to them ’cause they’re going global…

  7. We returned today from three weeks in Thailand. We had facial recognition leaving the US at Los Angeles and returning to the US today at San Francisco. We had facial recognition entering and leaving Thailand.
    We have no objections, because we went through US Immigration this morning in three minutes. We remember standing in immigration lines with everyone in the world for two to three hours at a time many years ago. This is better. So the government has our pictures. The government already has our pictures on drivers’ licenses and on my Texas gun carry permit.

  8. Your phone took your picture while you were reading this post. Horse laugh for sure.

  9. My parents fought so hard escaping tyranny to get to America to enjoy freedom. Heartbreaking that so many Americans are now apathetic about liberty the Founding Fathers fought for.

  10. As an airline worker, I say go for it. The harder it becomes for travelers to travel ,maybe the more they will appreciate it. Karen and Kevin with the basic economy seats but the humongous sense of entitlements need to be taken down several pegs.

  11. Go anywhere and your mug gets lit up, and your current id’s need to be shown.
    Anywhere that is except when you go to a polling location and vote. Then it becomes a federal violation of your inalienable infringement right. What a country.

  12. Yeah this doesn’t bother me. Most of my flights are international anyways, and a passport is required (with my photo). They even scan it.

  13. Most larger cruise lines use this type of photo recognition for Customs now. Makes it a much faster embark/debark day. Since being implemented, I’ve never been searched after a cruise or asked anything about purchases.

  14. @RES You missed your democracy 101 class. Here’s a refresher.
    All citizens of the US over the age of 18 are entitled to vote in national elections. The Constitution does not require a photo ID or other test to prove eligibility. Voting is a fundamental right of citizenship.

    Entering a secured space and traveling on airplanes, driving a car on public roads, drinking in public – these are not Constitutional rights. You do not need to partake in any of these activities. Requiring a positive ID to partake in these is simply the price of admission, and if you don’t want to show an ID and not partake, that is your choice.

    If you want to require positive ID to vote, you should seek a Constitutional amendment to make this law and stop your pathetic whining.

  15. Faster and more accurate ways to conduct airport security screenings? Sounds good to me! Why are people so worried when the word “biometric” comes into it? Yes, it may mean that even more data is available to the person screening you. That makes us all safer.

    Also, Gary, you should start thinking about turning in any credentials you call yourself a journalist under. Seems like this webpage is becoming more and more your opinions.

  16. Why should Americans be required to have their fking picture taken. When we already give or I’d upon going through TSA. Leave us alone. United States of America is becoming more of a police State. We can’t travel in your aboard or on roadways without harassment my government law enforcement officials. “FREE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES THAT AMERICA”.

  17. I can’t believe how many people are just fine with such an odd security measure. Fortunately, our airports are pretty safe & secure. I smell a rat in all this. Just because the government already has opened the door to such a communistic idea doesn’t mean we need more extensive intrusion into one’s personal life. Apathy has led to the murder of millions over & over again throughout history. Simply frightening & deeply saddening.

  18. I hope you realize that even the TSA admit that they have NEVER stopped a terrorist from getting through their screening

  19. Why do we keep bailing these failures out just to abuse us the people they should be serving 10,000 people need to get together spend about $100 so we can buy some 10,000 plate dinners for politicians so we can get the rights we need

  20. I wish this was in place a year and a half ago when my wallet was “lost” on at trip to New York. Had to do the who up-close-and-personal pat down, shoe swab bit at LaGuardia even though I’ve got TSA Pre.

  21. Wasn’t going to leave a comment , however to the few that seem to think late flights and part of TSA you all are Wrong! Late flights or canceled flights are from the airline’s own fault!! Plus if you can’t get to the airport in time to do the check in and get through security checkpoints on time it’s seriously you’re problem, stop blaming other’s for the fact you can’t follow simple procedures. Yes flying is not fun at times with weather and most of us know that. Again there are cameras all over in Malls, stores, banks, on streets and your worried about more facial recognition?!? Seriously how many of you all use social media and in the last 10 years posted your face…..just let that sink in , I am sure all the legal experts in all the departments and government agencies thank you!

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