When she arrived at the ticket counter at the scheduled time, the airline told her the ticket was no good and confiscated it. She had to purchase another ticket on the spot in order to take the flight. Most airline tickets are non-transferrable. While there is no specific federal regulation that prohibit reselling airline tickets, most airlines do not allow the tickets to be transferred to another person. Early in 1996, the FAA tightened security requirements for domestic flights.
Most airlines now require passengers to present photo identification before boarding a plane.
Since tickets generally are non-transferrable, if your ID does not match the name on the ticket, the airline is likely to confiscate the ticket. If you are considering purchasing an airline ticket from someone who has decided not to use the ticket, you should call the airline and check whether it allows tickets to be transferred. In addition, if you do not purchase your tickets directly from the airline, you should be sure the person selling you the ticket is an authorized agent of the airline. Ask if the person you are dealing with is a member of the American Society of Travel Agents or certified member of a similar recognized agency. Many travel agents have their memberships affiliations clearly posted where they do business.