Real ID disaster pending for those flying

Washington Post -Americans are nowhere near ready for full implementation of the Real ID Act, set to take affect at U.S. airports a year from now, according to a new survey

Nearly 40 percent of Americans don’t have a Real ID or any of the other forms of identification that will be required at airport security checkpoints come fall 2020, according to the survey by the U.S. Travel Association.

Even more troubling, the survey found, a majority of Americans – 57 percent – are not aware that beginning in Oct. 1, 2020, the only driver’s licenses that will be accepted for boarding commercial flights will be those that meet federal Real ID requirements.

Although travelers will be able to use other credentials, such as a U.S. passport or a military ID, industry leaders and lawmakers say they fear millions who use state-issued identification to board domestic flights will be caught by surprise.

Nearly 90 percent of U.S. residents of driving-age have a license, while only about 42 percent of Americans have a U.S. passport. As of now, most license holders don’t have a Real ID license, which is generally identifiable by a star in the upper-right corner.