If they don't have a frequent-flier ID card, travelers check in online or at kiosks and get a bar code on a printed boarding pass or on a mobile phone, just like at other airlines.

WSJ: Flying Through the Airport

Ellerton, a frequent contributor to the site, hoped to speak with a veteran but wasn't sure where to meet one.

CNN: Interviews give veterans a voice, iReporters a cause

"There are thousands of these firms out there and the SEC's inspection schedule doesn't allow it to get to them on a frequent basis, " says Grundfest.

NPR: Madoff Was Magnet For Some, Not All, Investors