So now that I’m back, I can talk about something I didn’t want to while I was out in Las Vegas. I had a pretty interesting experience involving TSA which was made more interesting by the failed terrorist attack while we were out there. This failed attack was supposed to force an immediate beefing up of scrutiny on the TSA side.
While packing the night before we left (Dec 23rd), I couldn’t find my drivers license. It went missing sometime in the fun that is Xmas shopping. I searched high and low, but it wasn’t to be found. So I got my passport out, and went about my business of final preparations.
Next day, going through the TSA line when I noticed something – my passport expired earlier in the year.
Really? Yup.
So, I went about giving the person looking at the ID and boarding pass like I hadn’t noticed the expiration. TSA did notice the expiration, but according to him “it still goes through the system”. I board my flights and go about my vacationing ways.
Then some terrorist activities go down, and I begin to worry if I’ll be able to get home given my identification predicament. And oh yeah, I was never carded or asked for identification during my entire visit to Las Vegas.
So I emailed the TSA on the 26th, detailing my situation and asking what to do when I get to the airport on the 28th. No response (until after I had made it home).
So I called the TSA on the 27th, and went over the situation on the phone with someone. According to what I was told (and the call was recorded), I would have to allow myself and baggage for extra searches with some measure of identification confirmation in a dark room, a one way mirror, and a water boarding apparatus.
I go to the airport hoping for the best, but ready for hassle. The airline (Midwest) examines my ID, and says nothing. Checks our bag, and we head for TSA. Go through the line, and hand over my expired passport and boarding pass.
They didn’t even notice the expiration date in all their pumped up security measures.