Lufthansa boarding at the gate
 

We've just boarded a flight at Munich passing through an electronic gate with no need to show any ID.

I'm getting grief from my GF about lack of security. Without compromising security, can someone explain how Lufthansa avoid ID checking please.

If it is of any concern, the flight is inter-Schengen.

TIA

Your last paragraph answers your question. Don't forget that you will have gone through airport security so nothing is compromised in that sense. If you take a train or bus between 2 Schengen countries you would not be required to show I/D. Some airlines may still do so but it is not a requirement.

Your reply makes a lot of sense to me thank you Sobelena but not to my GF. Thanks for trying though!

Best take your GF to China, where you have to show ID and go through the scanner and luggage scanner to get on a train. Or the metro. But not a bus.
Or Spain, on a long distance train. Pain in the proverbial.

Not sure to what extent knowing your ID adds to security?

Nor me atakacs, but she is totally convinced that a gate agent comparing the name on a passport with that on the boarding card is enough to keep a terrorist from getting on the plane. I kid you not! Welcome to my world. 😭

Not required by Schengen - Check.
Does not increase security - Check.
Might increase percieved security for certain individuals - Check.

Sometime I am wondering if airlines should not be more concerned with regard to book-keeping of their passenger lists.
The remaining particle size in case of a bus or train accident is on average somewhat larger.

I think you should now approach the problem laterally.

Change your selection criteria, and find a new GF.

Try Moscow - half the population seems to be checking your "papers" and your baggage over, and over and over............... "Удостоверения личности" should be the name of the airport..................

Ah for the days I used to travel (by air) on my father's unused ticket coupons. I'm talking 1960s and 70s folks. The only I/D check would be at passport control and one didn't have to show one's boarding pass. At the gate one just presented one's boarding pass without any requirement to present I/D. Fun days!

Still remember many a layover in St. Petersburg. Asked if i had to carry my passport when leaving the hotel, answer "no, you do not look like a terrorist, you'll be fine". And indeed, nobody ever asked for any ID at all. Pleasant city, especially in summer. Moscow? Not so much.

Having fallen into the hands of the Organs of the State a couple of times in Russia I always carried my passport (if it hadn't been sequestered by the Hotel) but overall it 's not too bad - I really like Moscow. Out of town you just have to play it by ear - we used to carry a large supply of duty free cigarettes (non-smokers all) left carelessly, and very visibly, on the back seat of the car for example.

I can assure you that no cigarettes were ever used as a bribe at a roadblock - but IF the officers were helpful then of course it was only good manners to offer them a cigarette or 20 AFTER we were cleared. And word gets around, smoothing one's path through the day to day irritations of life ....................................

I had a similar experience at LAX boarding a BA flight back to Heathrow in March, so it's not a Schengen thing.

On arriving home I did some digging (Google) and found that BA are trialling a new facial recognition system to match the person at the gate with their photo on record, e.g. passport, visa application or immigration photo. BA claim that the system allows them to board appreciably quicker.

I presume LH are introducing the same system at Munich.

Yes it is a Schengen thing. What you experienced is something entirely different. There have been no I/D checks on Schengen flights since day 1.

Facial recognition is a wonderfull thing. We were happy snapped on the ferry to Alcatraz, and on
​​​​exiting the ferry back our mug shots came up as we passed through the gift shop with the opportunity of a once in a life time picture.
But I digress the same happened Heathrow to Zurich and the return Zurich to Heathrow on Swiss air. Only scan the boarding pass at the gate no passport and no staff checking however the passport and boarding card was given the once over at the Border post