Location: MLB (and I know what it means to miss New Orleans)
Programs: DL PM .5MM, Royal Caribbean Diamond+ & AA (HHonors Diamond, SPG Gold, thanks US Mint)
Posts: 3,811
Clear (Verified Identity Pass) ceases operation
Just visited the www.flyclear.com homepage and am greeted by this message:
Clear Lanes Are No Longer Available.
At 11:00 p.m. PST on June 22, 2009, Clear will cease operations. Clear’s parent company, Verified Identity Pass, Inc. has been unable to negotiate an agreement with its senior creditor to continue operations.
Very, very sad. I've got to add at least 1/2 hour to all of me ex-MCO trips now. :-(
__________________ renew orleans
Roll Wave. Tulane '08
Otherwise, I can't find any other news coverage, yet.
As I mentioned in the DL forum thread, ATL basically built two new security checkpoints just to accommodate Clear. Man, were they pushing that service. I had one guy following me down the hall towards the new elite lanes asking me over and over again why I want to wait in line, implying I wouldn't with Clear. I got to the elite lane and there were five people in line.
Still pretty amazing and shocking. Sad for those loosing their jobs.
Programs: DL PM/DSC, HH Gold, UA 1P, Fairmont Platinum
Posts: 7,842
I looked into CLEAR but never signed up. I'm glad I didn't. I hope airlines will use this to open/replace the CLEAR lines with Elite lines that CLEAR had displaced. Good luck to those trying to get a refund for their membership.
I looked into CLEAR but never signed up. I'm glad I didn't. I hope airlines will use this to open/replace the CLEAR lines with Elite lines that CLEAR had displaced. Good luck to those trying to get a refund for their membership.
Agreed! The Delta elite line at LGA is a joke right now with the CLEAR displacement
Programs: DL Plat/CRC/RW, UA Premier (Exec soon!), Marriott Silver, SPG Gold, a few others too...
Posts: 8,505
I had looked into it and would have seriously considered it had they expanded to MSP - the few times a year that I passed through a Clear airport didn't quite justify the cost, but if I was at an airport every week (such as ATL or MCO in particular) I'd have hopped in.
Clear, operated by Verified Identity Pass, Inc., has signed up more than 260,000 travelers nationwide and has processed more than two and a half million fliers through the Clear lanes. Clear cards are accepted at 21 U.S. airports: Albany, Atlanta, Boston's Logan (Terminal A), Cincinnati, Denver, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, LaGuardia (Central Terminal B and Terminal D), Little Rock, New York JFK (Terminals 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7), Louisville, Newark (Terminal B1 and B2), Oakland, Orlando, Reno, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, San Jose, Washington, DC's Reagan and Dulles, and Westchester. Clear members have their identities authenticated and are provided with a high-tech card which allows them to access designated security lanes nationwide for an annual fee of $199. Clear members pass through the security checkpoint faster, with more predictability and less hassle. Applicants start their enrollment at flyclear.com and complete the process at a Clear enrollment location where their fingerprints and iris images are captured and their identification is validated. Clear's registered traveler program has been operational since July 19, 2005.
My membership was expiring next month anyway, I attempted to use it once during an overnight in ATL and became very dissatisfied. In my mind, CLEAR never delivered what they promised because I don't think TSA ever showed them any respect. The product was of no value to the Int'l traveler. My one experience in ATL was a disaster because I couldn't find the CLEAR line and when I did it still took time to get carry-ons screened and x-rayed.
Programs: Delta PM, ST Elite Plus 2x, AMEX Plat, SU Bonus GOLD, LH never again!!!, Starwood Gold
Posts: 1,639
I loved CLEAR and I hate this announcement. It worked for me wonderfully as an ATL based flyer. I travel quite often with at least one of my sons and they could all go with me through CLEAR up to age 12. That was a really nice bennie. The lady in ATL last Tuesday told us all to keep liquids in the bags as we went through the xray. I asked if that was an unpublished CLEAR benefit and she winked and nodded. In ATL I never spent more than 5 minutes from eye scan to escalator. I'll assume I get no money back so I won't even bother. Oh well. Some of the best travel money I've spent in years for a service I used a lot (3 or 4x a week) is no more. Sad day...
Programs: DL Silver / SkyClub / SkyBonus, NW, CO, AA, Best Western Diamond, Choice Gold, Wyndham, Hilton
Posts: 370
I believe too many TSA "agents" thought the people using Clear were getting "special" treatment, and were annoyed by the frequent fliers. Plus, Clear rolled out the service too slowly. I think this final nail in the coffin was the drop in business travel because of the economy.
I though Clear was a great idea. However, it wasn't available at enough airports for me to use it @ $199/year!
Programs: UA 1K, CO Silver, NW Gold, IC Ambassador, SPG Gold
Posts: 908
I guess this doesn't come as a surprise (Clear's demise was forecast by many on FT), but I'm sorry to see Clear go. It was very nice while it lasted! Now I will have to budget even more time to clear security at SFO for my very early departure next Sunday.
__________________ My FlightMemory ~ NW miles left to burn: 462
