Oct. 30 (UPI) -- A major security change at U.S. airports that can prevent passengers from boarding their flights is less than a year away.
The upgrade is part of a federal law passed in 2005 that calls for a more secure form of ID for the tens of millions of flyers in the United States each year,
Beginning Oct. 1, 2020, all U.S. air travelers will be required to present identification compliant with the Real ID Act. The program has been gradually rolled out on a state-by-state basis over the last 14 years, but hasn't yet been federally mandated for all states. That will change a year from now.
The law establishes a new set of minimum security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and ID cards -- based on a recommendation by the 9/11 Commission in 2004. Beginning next October, travelers will not be able to board any domestic flight without an upgraded Real ID card -- denoted by a star in the upper right corner. |