Shante' Brown, Deputy Secretary of Child Development and Early Learning | Pennsylvania Department Of Education
With the federal REAL ID enforcement imminent, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) organized a special event at Harrisburg International Airport. This initiative saw collaboration between PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll and officials from both the Harrisburg International Airport and the American Automobile Association (AAA). The aim was to encourage Pennsylvanians to prepare for the new requirements, demonstrating the Shapiro Administration's commitment to providing residents with essential information and opportunities concerning federal REAL ID enforcement.
Although acquiring a REAL ID is not mandatory in Pennsylvania, starting May 7, travelers will need to present a REAL ID driver's license or ID card, or another form of federally acceptable identification, to board a domestic commercial flight and access military bases or other federal facilities that require ID. Since the availability of REAL IDs in the state back in 2019, more than 2.8 million Pennsylvanians have obtained one.
"With summer travel on the horizon, we want to remind Pennsylvanians that starting May 7 they will need a REAL ID or a passport to fly domestically," stated Carroll. He further advised, "If you've already booked a flight, now is the time to double-check and make sure you are ready to go so your plans aren't interrupted."
The event featured several speakers, including Tim Edwards, Airport Executive Director; Mike Carroll, PennDOT Secretary; and Doni Lee Spiegel, AAA Central Penn Public Relations Manager.
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