New $45 TSA fee could ground travelers

Thousands of travelers flying in and out of New Mexico and airports across the country may have to pay $45 to confirm their identity before taking to the skies.

Starting Feb. 1, travelers without a Real ID will have the option of a new alternate identification process to get through airports checkpoints, the Transportation Security Administration announced. The process — known as ConfirmID — gives travelers without acceptable identification the opportunity to have a Transportation Security Administration agent confirm their identity if they pay $45 in advance.

"We rolled it out last year in May and this is phase two of it," said David Fitz, media relations manager for the TSA. "We're trying to get to 100% compliance across the nation."

While the TSA said ConfirmID is optional, travelers will not be allowed through security if they do not have some way to verify their identity. TSA also warned that there is no guarantee they will be able to confirm your identity using ConfirmID.

Originally, taxpayers absorbed the $45 fee, but now travelers will be responsible for paying the fee if they do not have proper identification. The fee covers the operational, technology and administrative expenses of the program, Fitz said. 

"This will be good for 10 days of travel," he said. "Unfortunately, if you're taking a two-week vacation and you don't have a Real ID, you'll have to do it on both ends. We're advising everybody to try and go ahead of time and do it on our website."

What is a Real ID and how do I know if I have one?

A Real ID is a state-issued driver's license or identification that complies with stricter federal standards after the Real ID Act passed in February 2005 after heightened security concerns in airports in response to the 9/11 attacks.

The bill mandated states to verify a person's identity, residency and lawful presence with other official documents in the hopes of preventing documents from being forged.

Real ID's have a white star with a gold outline in the upper right corner of each card. Other federally accepted documents include permanent resident cards, border crossing cards and more, though the list of acceptable ID's is subject to change without notice, according to the TSA's website. 

Currently, 81% of New Mexicans have a Real ID, according to Megan Gleason, spokesperson for the New Mexico Department of Taxation and Revenue. Users in New Mexico do not need the enhanced license for any state offered services.

Gleason said it is unlikely that the percentage will increase anytime soon as most people who would need to update their licenses already have.

"Customers have the option to choose either a Standard Driver’s License or a Real ID at the time of issuance, and all credentials issued in New Mexico fall within an approved compliant category," she said.

In May, the Department of Homeland Security announced that any person who wanted to enter a federal building or fly commercially must have a Real ID in order to do so. New Mexico adopted the system in 2016 to increase the compliancy rate in the state.

Nakayla McClelland covers crime and breaking news. Reach her at nmcclelland@abqjournal.com or at 505-823-3857.