When you fly, it’s obviously vital that you bring your ID with you. As TikToker Garret Ardolf (@garretardolf) found out, trying to fly without it involves all kinds of bureaucracy, as well as, from his account, very unhappy TSA agents.
Ardolf made a total of three TikToks detailing his experience, and cumulatively, they garnered over 100,000 views. In the first clip, he explained via on-screen text that he managed to get from Phoenix to Denver without ID, but is now flying back.
Walking through the airport, he explained, “I forgot my ID in Arizona. I’m at the Denver airport now. We’ll see how easy it is to get through this time. There’s like a form that you have to fill out online and a $45 fee you have to pay the first time. They say it’s valid for 10 days so… I have to go through normal security. I’ll tell them that I like filled that out already and hopefully it’s pretty quick and easy.”
Things Were Not, In Fact, ‘Quick And Easy’
However, in his next TikTok, it soon became apparent that things weren’t easy at all. This was indicated via on-screen text, where he wrote: “I knew the process to fly with no ID better than a TSA agent.”
In this video, he continued through the airport as “In the Hall of the Mountain King” played.
“Basically, just got yelled at by TSA and they said that I need a form of identification, even though there’s QR codes scattered across the security line saying, ‘If you don’t have a form of identification, you have to scan the QR code, pay the fee,’ literally the exact same thing in Phoenix,” he explained.
“It looked like the exact same process and it just seemed like the TSA agent had no idea what to do for that. So now I had to exit security. She was so hard set on, like, ‘You need an ID I’m not going to let you through,’ like, how did Phoenix let me through? And they’re like, ‘Well, this is a different airport.’ So I don’t know what’s gonna happen.”
In the video description, he elaborated further. “The TSA agent thought I was trying to bypass the process to travel with no ID. She was making a scene and then another TSA agent came and made a scene,” he wrote. “All I was trying to figure out was the process at this airport and where to go. After some light arguing she then finally told me where to go. Idk why she didn’t lead with that.”
The Process Itself Was Simple
Then, in his third TikTok, he shared how quick and easy it was for him to get verified after he approached the person at the podium. He filled out a paper form that included his name, address, and signature. They then found his passport photo in the system, compared photos, and walked him through security, and he scanned his boarding pass.
“The most frustrating part is that the TSA agents don’t know the process really. Like she was in Denver, she was yelling at me like, ‘Oh, you’re screwed like I’m not gonna get back to Phoenix.’ When she really should have just led with, ‘Go over to this other person, bye.’ And then he’ll help me. Like, why didn’t they lead with that?” he asked.
On-screen text read: “There was a moment I thought I wouldn’t be able to travel home.”
In the video description, Ardolf added, “In Denver, the TSA agent could’ve just told me where to go instead of basically yelling at me that I won’t be able to go home.”
BroBible reached out to the creator and TSA via email.
How Did Commenters React?
Most commenters didn’t really understand Ardolf’s predicament. He engaged in discourse with several commenters. “All the QR stuff is a fast track for convenience, it doesn’t negate having ID ready,” one said. “Could have saved yourself some trouble.”
“Wouldn’t it just be easier to fly with a real ID instead of what you’re doing?” a second asked. “I just don’t get it.”
To which Ardolf replied, “You’re 100% right. I forgot my ID and didn’t have time to go back home and grab it.”
“You have to have an ID to fly…. There is no way they let you go through in any air port without a picture ID….” a third added. “That is bonkers my dude.”
“I went through the process twice with no form of ID,” Ardolf replied. “Once I knew where to go the whole thing took 5 minutes.”
While a fourth wrote, “Cut TSA some slack. They just worked over 40 days without pay. Was there no supervisor?”
In response to this, Ardolf said, “Oh I did. I was very patient with them and never raised my voice. I was just trying to figure out where to go because I knew the process existed. The agent knew where I needed to go but for whatever reason didn’t lead with that info.”
What Do You Do If You Forget Your ID While Flying?
If you forget your ID, you can use TSA ConfirmID. By visiting pay.gov via a QR code or URL, you will be able to pre-pay for this. You will need to provide information like the traveler’s legal name, the traveler’s start date, and a valid bank account to pay the $45 fee. You will then be taken through the payment site to pay the fee.
Once you get your payment processed, you’ll receive a confirmation email from Pay.gov. By showing this to the TSA, you’ll be able to begin the verification process.
@garretardolf The TSA agent thought I was trying to bypass the process to travel with no ID. She was making a scene and then another TSA agent came and made a scene. All I was trying to figure out was the process at this airport and where to go. After some light arguing she then finally told me where to go. Idk why she didn’t lead with that
♬ In The Hall Of The Mountain King – Julian Gallant & David Tobin & Jeff Meegan
A writer on The Points Guy explained that, in their case, this involved security taking them to a separate area. They were asked a “series of personal questions” to verify their identity.
“These included details like previous addresses, jobs I’d held and cars I’d owned,” they explained. “Information that only I would reasonably know.”
“They weren’t trick questions, but they were specific enough to confirm I was who I said I was. After a few minutes of back-and-forth, my identity was verified, and I was allowed to continue through security,” they added.
Ultimately, Ardolf’s situation seems unlucky. One Orlando flyer was able to fly without an ID or boarding pass, while another frequent flyer often found themselves repeatedly pulled aside for extra checks. It seems like a good TSA agent can make or break your journey, whether you have your ID or not.