GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – This is the last holiday travel season before air travelers will be required to show a Real ID prior to boarding their flights. Officials with the DMV, TSA, and Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport are all reminding people to get their ID’s updated earlier rather than later.
“Today if you don’t have an ID, you can still board your flight with extra screening. But once this October 1st deadline approaches and you don’t have a Real ID, you’re not flying,” says Airport Director Marty Piette.
That means it’s time to put Real ID requirements on your radar. The updated driver’s licenses or ID cards are more high-tech than just the fancy new star in the corner.
“There’s a barcode on the back of those ID’s – our technology is going to be able to scan and read that, and then tie it into what’s called the Secure Flight, which is part of the reservation system. And then marry that up with the profile in the reservation system,” says Federal Security Director for the Department of Homeland Security and TSA in Wisconsin, Mark Lendvay, “That system is so advanced that it will tell us if it’s a fraudulent ID or not, based on how the DMV issues it. So it’s not just a new photo and the star, there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes security being built into the ID’s.”
The concept has been around since 2005, but many people are just now beginning to learn about Real ID’s. Security officials believe the move is just the tip of the iceberg for improving security at airports around the country.
“This isn’t where I’m trying to purport that I’m 21 years of age, this is really taking it to the next level. We’re also looking at biometrics, we’re looking to go to biometrics. So that could be an eye scanner or thumbprint in terms of actually validating the individual standing in front of us,” Lendvay tells WTAQ News.
About 38% of state card holders have a Real ID, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
“That’s why we’re out right now, well in advance of that deadline. To make sure that individuals have the necessary information to get those.” says Lendvay.
While the Real ID is a major change, there are other methods of providing your identity to the TSA. Alternative ID’s like a passport or military ID are also acceptable.
“It’ll help everything from an overall safety standpoint. We look at safety and security from a layered standpoint, so it’s another layer to that security to make sure that it’s as safe as it possibly can be,” Piette says.
There is no extra fee if licenses are updated during regular renewals. It’s $14 for those applying outside of renewal periods.
