May 7, 2025
(Oregonian)
–
Lydia Ashanian arrived at
Portland International Airport
prepared on Wednesday, as federal transportation authorities soft launched its requirement that travelers carry REAL IDs or other REAL ID-compliant forms of identification.
Ashanian brought both her REAL ID and passport "in case something went awry" on her way to
Indianapolis
, she said. And she said she didn't understand how others might have missed the repeated warnings about the switch. "Anyone who hasn't gotten their ID by now has been asleep at the wheel somewhere," she said.
Many other travelers at the airport seemed equally ready for the change that has been years in the making. The idea for a more secure form of
U.S.
identification rolled out after 9/11, was put into law in 2005 and was supposed to be implemented in 2008. But repeated delays pushed back the deadline to Wednesday, and even then the REAL ID deadline wasn't really real.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
officials announced this week that travelers without REAL ID-compliant forms of ID -- perhaps because they faced lengthy waits at their local motor vehicle offices -- wouldn't be turned away from flights. Instead, they would be asked to undergo additional security checks. It's not clear how long this grace period will last.
None of this mattered to Tigard couple Neil and
Dian Imper
, who were flying to
Sacramento
on their way to
Napa, California
.
Dian Imper
made an appointment at the Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services as soon as she could, she said, though it took some effort due to demand.
"Sooner or later we knew we had to have it so our idea was to get the soonest appointments we could get once we realized the deadline was close," she said.
Jane Wokal
of
Woodland, Washington
opted to skip the hassle of getting a REAL ID. She was returning from
Green Bay, Wisconsin
, where she had celebrated her mother's 97th birthday.
"My passport card is just better," she said.
And she sailed through the security checkpoint.
--
Quinton Prudhomme
is a reporter on the public safety and breaking news team. Reach him at 503-221-8002 or qprudhomme@oregonian.com.
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