&gt; TSA was giving her all of the trouble, not the airlines.<p>Yes, since Sept-11-2001, all harassment of passengers was outsourced to the TSA, making airlines look like the good guys. But the ID requirement was enacted and enforced before that - I am not sure when, but at least in July 2000, I was told that I won&#x27;t be able to fly without an ID.<p>&gt;  Then why was the OP able to get a boarding pass without ID in her story?<p>Assuming the story is true and exactly as told (which I have no reason to doubt on one hand, but no reason to take as gospel on the other) -- because either the TSA were violating their own rules, or because they were able to satisfy the ID requirement through some procedure which is not general knowledge among the population.<p>The TSA procedures are, in fact, secret: See, e.g. <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Gilmore_v._Gonzales" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Gilmore_v._Gonzales</a>