One Thing That Could Keep You From Flying Ever Again
I just learned something new at a conference this week — using a fake ID, where it’s just to get into a concert underage or to buy cigarettes or alcohol or for more nefarious reasons could get you put on the No Fly list.
Being charged with possession of a fake ID can come with some serious penalties, and depending on the state, you can get charged with a felony rather a misdemeanor.
And that felony might be all it takes to get put on the no fly list. Since the criteria, even the existence of the no fly list, is shrouded in secrecy, you won’t know you’re on it til you show up at the airport and are denied entrance at security. Worse, denied entrance trying to come back from a trip!
And trying to get off the list is even harder. Once you’re denied boarding you have to apply for redress through the Department of Homeland Security who can take an unlimited amount of time to review your case. And even then you can’t be completely sure whether it worked until you get to the airport, although they are no required to provide additional information about your status if your appeal is denied.
Of course getting charged with having a fake ID doesn’t guarantee you’re on the no fly list, just know that it is a possibility, particularly in stricter states. So if you have dreams of traveling the world, maybe skip the underage trip to that amazing concert or your local bar. Or go abroad where drinking at a younger age is legal.
Who knew?
But you have to get the facts straight. The difference between being charged and convicted are 2 different ballgames.
Being charged and not convicted does not put you on a NO FLY LIST.
Actually the scary thing is you don’t necessarily have to be convicted. In two of the cases discussed in the training the students had already been put in the no fly list before they’d appeared in court.
That is not what I would call justice! Sad case for the kids.