Frank Rondel
Airline passengers in Alabama who do not hold a REAL-ID, also known as a STAR-ID, now have an alternative option for airport security verification, but it comes at a cost, reports customreceipt.com via WSFA. Beginning February 1, individuals arriving at Alabama airports without a REAL-ID-compliant identification must pay a $45 fee to undergo identity verification through the TSA’s ConfirmID system. This fee grants travelers a ten-day window for travel, so those planning return flights within that period are charged only once.
The TSA explains that this payment ensures the use of ConfirmID, a modernized identity verification system designed to handle administrative processes and technology requirements, as well as the approximately six percent of passengers who currently do not possess REAL-ID-compliant licenses. Steve Lorincz, acting executive assistant administrator at the TSA, stated, “The fee is about making sure we provide an option, voluntarily, for customers who do not have a real-id compliant driver’s license while keeping our checkpoints efficient.”
Travelers can still use other forms of REAL-ID-compliant identification, including U.S. passports and passport cards, permanent resident cards, foreign government-issued passports, and several additional acceptable documents. The TSA emphasizes that the fee is optional and only applicable to those without compliant IDs, aiming to provide flexibility for passengers while maintaining airport security standards.
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