Originally Posted by
defrosted
Yeah to me it is a lot of fuss just to skip one step.
At an airport where the line is waiting on ID check, it may make sense, but if much of the waiting is beyond that it doesn't help. I see it in Detroit and it doesn't seem to provide that much benefit, plus there are always employees having to help people. At least from a distance it seems like good intentions gone awry. In Nashville they don't have it, but it would help as usually a big chunk of the waiting is to check ID.
Not to drift to a Security and Borders forum topic, but let's be completely clear (pun possibly intended): CLEAR never had good intentions. The Registered Traveler program clause in the original TSA charter (of which CLEAR uses) was always designed with the express intent of getting technology ready - and more importantly - people used to (and incentivize) the idea of providing "enhanced" identify verification (biometrics, or in the very first iteration pre-2008-ish, an enhanced identity card) such that it could - in the distant future (which is increasingly now) - be expanded to all travelers with less friction and resistance.
There has never been a valid business or economic reason or rationale for CLEAR to require biometrics. It is purely an intentionally designed program using a specific TSA clause that was itself designed to normalize what most would consider abnormal requirements.