You could equally ask - is there any real advantage to making it a bit tougher? I don't see that the "security theatre" that US airports indulge in actually make flying any safer.
The point is that these proposals are not about making flying safer. It is all about other policing activities - making it easier to track people around the country.
Yes, and yes.
But when you consider the importance of Aviation Security - and then compare how much ID I need to be able to open a bank account, or post office box. And then you consider that I can fly domestically without EVER being asked for any form of Identification..??..??
Without getting into the macro discussion of Security (of which the Israeli method is interesting, and thought so at the time I was subjected to it), I remember the difference in the US both before and after gate-ID checks came into play in 2001.
Pre 9/11: US Airport security was a joke. I remember one LAX-SFO flight on UA when I checked in, was handed someone else's BP as the check-in agent mixed them up on her counter (didn't notice till I was on the plane), boarded, and sat in the assigned seat. I had no idea whether that person was on the plane in my seat or otherwise. I was told that "it happens all the time".
Post 9/11: Let's break it down: (btw - i'm talking about late 2001 when it was a shambles - it's improved since then)
CHECK-IN:
Didn't seem too bad - but with the shutdown of curbside-check-in, the queues were longer. Not so bad nowadays (even in the whY check-in line).
SECURITY:
Nightmare - I remember regularly waiting 1-3 hours to get through security and past the National Guardsmen (not quite sure what they thought they would do).
Obviously this is much better now - but can still take a little time.
BOARDING:
HONESTLY - on US domestic flights - I noticed ZERO difference in boarding times pre vs post 9/11 when gate ID checks were introduced.
YMMV - but I genuinely didn't notice any difference whatsoever. No additional gate agents required - and IMHO - no additional time taken.
I stand by this even today (Priority Boarding notwithstanding
)
The only issue in the US is since they introduced checked baggage fees - boarding process (not the BP check stage - but the physical boarding and sit-your-cough-down) takes longer because people try and carry-on the kitchen sink to avoid baggage fees.
Don't confuse the additional boarding time due to baggage as being caused by ID checks or Priority Boarding.
Again - what's the problem if you've got nothing to hide..??