I had a 4 month trial membership thru SPG, which I used one time coming back from family vacation in MCO. The lines were long like usual at the normal TSA checkpoint, so I took my daughter and niece thru CLEAR with all our carry-ons while my wife went thru the normal TSA checkpoint. While the CLEAR attendant was very helpful in getting us thru the checkpoint, even helping my daughter and her niece get their shoes off, in the end my wife still beat us thru security by a few minutes :-(.
Otherwise, the lanes were never open when I'd redeye back from SFO/SJC ever, so I never got a chance to use them there ( and no clear lanes ever made it to CLE/CAK ).
I loved it! I too got my 1st year Free through Hyatt, then paid when the rates went up. I could blow thru BOS, JFK & ATL (after they took over the old Medallion lane).
But by far the best feature for me was recently when they got TSA to agree to accept the new Clear Cards (with the photo's along with the biometrics) as ID, even in airports that didn't have the clear lane. This meant that I didn't have to risk loosing my Driver's license every time I went thru security. If I lost the Clear Card, I'd just have to use the regular lanes, WHEN (yeah, it happened once) I mislaid my Driver's License in IL, when I arrived in Montreal, I COULD NOT rent a car.
Always had positive experiences with all of the Clear staff I've encountered.
I wonder what this means for the FLO card as they show all of the clear airports as being able to use their cards at. If they still offer services I would purchase their card simply to be able to bypass the 30-50 minute lines @ MCO. My time is worth the $99/year membership.
I just checked my records. My membership didn't actually activate until Feb '07. Before that year was up I renewed for three. That means I have a good 18 months I paid for that I did not receive. I wonder if there is any recourse.
Is that the operator who ran the registered traveler program at RNO? I know my clear card would work there, but it was not actually Clear.
Maybe they had a partnership. I had a look at their website and they list Reno as one of four activation points for their service. I can only hope that they'll take over the lanes at DEN and other airports, but who knows. At least I can still use the premier lines at DIA, but they were never as fast as Clear.
I just checked my records. My membership didn't actually activate until Feb '07. Before that year was up I renewed for three. That means I have a good 18 months I paid for that I did not receive. I wonder if there is any recourse.
File a dispute with your credit card ASAP.
The credit card companies do have options here. They may have payments pending that are partially or mostly withheld. When a merchant, particularly one that offers a prepaid service, suddenly ceases business, the card companies can hold back those payments. I've done it in the past successfully when a prepaid VOIP phone service went belly up with no notice, and I received a pro-rated credit on my card for the 8 months of service I'd already paid for but never received. I did have to provide documentation to show that I was charging a prepaid service of X duration, but once this was provided, the card provider came through in a couple of days.
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The initial idea was to use the background check to "screen" passengers and allow them to reduce or skip airport screening. Of course, the TSA would never allow it so it became a way to cut in line. It was worth the money though for the "glorified VIP service." As for the unhappy folks who were cut in front of, its my understanding that Clear had to pay TSA to keep a line open. Since that line isn't fully used, the non-Clear folks got to "cut in" with the Clear passengers.
Incidentally, I used the Clear card in another Verified Identity provider's line (I think in Louisville) a few weeks ago. Part of the deal was that everything had to be interchangeable. Curious if any of those companies will try to expand or if the Clear cards will still work there. Can't imagine they can jump into all the Clear places that are empty.
I always found the Clear folks on the line to be very helpful and never observed the sullen employees described above.
Incidentally, I used the Clear card in another Verified Identity provider's line (I think in Louisville) a few weeks ago. Part of the deal was that everything had to be interchangeable. Curious if any of those companies will try to expand or if the Clear cards will still work there. Can't imagine they can jump into all the Clear places that are empty.
It would be interesting to see if anything happens. Clear ran the majority of the registered traveler lines, so obviously the network is pretty much decimated with their demise. This has to have a negative effect on the other providers when customers expect to use the card anywhere other than their home airport.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by crhptic
File a dispute with your credit card ASAP.
The credit card companies do have options here. They may have payments pending that are partially or mostly withheld. When a merchant, particularly one that offers a prepaid service, suddenly ceases business, the card companies can hold back those payments. I've done it in the past successfully when a prepaid VOIP phone service went belly up with no notice, and I received a pro-rated credit on my card for the 8 months of service I'd already paid for but never received. I did have to provide documentation to show that I was charging a prepaid service of X duration, but once this was provided, the card provider came through in a couple of days.
This is some of the worst news that has personally affected me that I have heard on Flyertalk to date. I too have about 18 Months left of membership, but fortunately (or unfortunately) I didn't pay a dime for any of my 36 months of membership. 12 Months from Hyatt, 12 Months from SPG & I believe 12 Months from Marriott.
So what is my discourse? Sure sounds like nothing.... Doh...
I'm stunned and deeply dissapointed not only for the workers who always provided sterling services for me but also for the hopes of having a registered traveller programme. I can only assume this will put anyone else off gettign into this arena. I worry that the TSA will do what one TSA agent suggested in conversation one day. he suggested that 'we could run Clear better than they can, they should just give it to us to do'. God forbid that the mayhem and dreadful attitude of the TSA should run an 'elite flyers' programme.
I used Clear about 8 times a week and loved it, they valued my time and for the price I thought it was more than a great deal it was exceptionally cheap. I am able to use the priority lines of Delta, Virgin, BA and United but none compared to Clear lanes.
Very dissapointed right now and not sure what will happen, either TSA starts it's own programme or someone comes in and buys out Clear, or the worst option. We all go back to the lines of the TSA.
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Urgh. I'm with everyone else who is disappointed in this. Until Clear flying in and out of MCO every week was always a pain. With Clear I had my timing down. This is going to add at least 30 minutes and aggravation to each trip.
I propose a candlelight vigil for CLEAR on Tuesday evening, 6/23, at SJC airport. We can all gather on the island for the shuttle buses. Our mantra is:
"All we are saying.....is give CLEAR a chance......"
