For American flyers, this year is likely to be even more miserable than the last
By A.W. | WASHINGTON, DC
GULLIVER hates to be the bearer of bad news, but with the holiday highs behind us, it is time for a dose of sobering reality. Brace yourselves: for travellers in or through America, 2016 is likely to be worse than 2015. I say this for three reasons.
1. The full-body scan is no longer optional
Just when you weren’t paying attention during the holiday season, the Transportation Security Administration quietly announced a big policy change to one of its most hated practices. Until now, all passengers have had the right to opt out of the TSA’s full-body scans in American airports and instead submit to a pat-down by a security official. (Although, many people who agree to the scan are still subjected to pat-downs.) But under the new policy, some flyers will be required to go through the scan.
In its explanation of the change, the Department of Homeland Security was vague as to which passengers might lose their ability to opt out. “While passengers may generally decline [Advanced Imaging Technologies] screening in favor of physical screening,” it stated, “TSA may direct mandatory AIT screening for some passengers as warranted by security considerations in order to safeguard transportation security.” The reversal and the lack of clarity quickly drew condemnation from Americans who fear health consequences from the scanners or racial profiling in determining who must be scanned. Further, some observers pointed out that there has not been one reported case of the scanners preventing a terrorist attack. The policy change has already prompted a lawsuit from one traveller among the estimated 2% who opt out of the full-body scan in favour of a pat-down.
2. Residents of some American states could lose their ability to fly with state IDs
Just as the Feds initially promised full-body scans would be optional, they also made it voluntary for states to comply with the 2005 Real ID Act, which created new standards for state-issued driver’s licenses. But that doesn’t mean they can’t find other ways to compel states to bring their IDs into line with Federal standards. (Fun fact: contrary to popular belief, the United States does not have a national drinking age of 21—but the Federal government has imposed such severe financial penalties on states that allow younger people to drink that all 50 have complied.)
When flying domestically, American travellers typically use their driver’s licenses as identification. Now the TSA is threatening to stop recognising licenses from a handful of states as soon as this year if they don’t change their IDs in accordance with the 2005 law. The trouble is that some states have strongly opposed the federal standards out of privacy concerns, since the they allow personal information to be shared on a national database. More than a dozen have passed laws explicitly forbidding their license issuers from complying. Five states face a compliance deadline of January 10th, although the Department of Homeland Security has said that it will give 120 days’ notice before their IDs start to be rejected at airports. Other states have deadlines later this year. It is entirely possible that 2016 will see a confusing hodgepodge of rules that allow residents of some states to fly with old-style licences, but not of others. If that is the case, get ready for more arguments and possibly longer lines at American airport security.
3. Flights are getting more expensive, for no apparent reason
Fuel typically accounts for more than a third of airlines’ operating costs. The price of oil has just fallen below $35 a barrel for the first time in 11 years, down from $115 in June 2014. How are America’s big airlines responding? By raising their fares, naturally.
Delta, Southwest, and American have all instituted across-the-board fare increases in the past week, in what looks like the beginning of a sector-wide move. The amounts are small, just $3 or $4 per one-way flight, but observers are right to ask why prices are not moving in the opposite direction, and why fuel surcharges remain prevalent and costly. Maybe we’ll get some answers from the ongoing Justice Department investigation into possible collusion among airlines to keep fares high. Until then, happy flying.
