Security Works Best When You Use Your Whole Brain
I have been going by my middle name for almost my entire life. For the purposes of this story, let’s say my name is Robert James Smith, and everyone calls me James.
This has usually not been a problem as long as I have my ID. Over the past few years, I’ve become a frequent flyer. TSA has never raised an eyebrow if my boarding pass says “James Smith” or “R. James Smith”.
Until this time.
When we finally get to the TSA agent, she eyeballs me, my photo ID, my boarding pass, and then me again, as usual. She starts to wave me through but then stops herself.
Agent: “Hold on a moment.”
She walks off, whispers to another agent for a bit, and then returns.
Agent: “So, unfortunately, we can’t let you board today.”
Me: “What? Why?”
Agent: “This isn’t your name. I can’t confirm that you’re the correct passenger.”
She points to the boarding pass, which lists “James Smith”.
Me: “Oh, I’m sorry. I go by my legal middle name, James. See, my photo ID says Robert James Smith.”
Agent: “It doesn’t matter. It may as well be a different name. You might as well be Joshua instead of James. You’re a completely different person.”
I don’t quite know how to respond to that given I look just like my photo ID, which has my full name, but I know better than to argue with a TSA agent.
Me: *Sighing* “Okay, how can I fix this?”
The agent looks surprised, as though she genuinely expected me to give up my flight and walk away.
Agent: “I guess you’ll have to go back to the check-in counter and get them to reprint your boarding pass. Then just come find me when you’re done.”
I race back to my airline counter and explain the situation.
Airline Employee: “Wait, what?! That’s ridiculous. Your name is right there on your ID. It looks like we just left off the first legal name.”
Me: “I know. James is my preferred name. I should have put my full name on the boarding pass, but this has never been a problem before.”
Airline Employee: “I’m honestly not sure how to fix this. Hang on.”
They end up having to call over another employee.
Airline Employee #2: “TSA is saying he can’t board because the name is wrong? That’s crazy. It’s not like the pass says Joshua and his ID says James.”
I couldn’t help but facepalm at that point. They spent another twenty minutes trying to figure out how to change my name in the system. At long last, they succeeded, and I thanked them and rushed back to security with my new pass.
The first TSA agent was gone. When I got to the front of the line, the new agent barely glanced at my ID before waving me on.
I almost missed my flight, but I learned my lesson. And my spouse and I now joke, “You might as well be Joshua instead of James,” whenever one of us is confused.