Originally Posted by
smp9778
Many U.S.-based premium/frequent fliers (myself included) view CLEAR as a slap in the face. At several airports, CLEAR has basically bribed the airport authority to eliminate frequent traveler lines (e.g. lines for elite status passengers and first class pasengers), and replace them with CLEAR program. Hence, a passenger that has already paid for a first class ticket would have to pay an annual fee to CLEAR to take advantage of first-class line.
I think that U.S. airlines realize it's unpopular with their best customers, and hence haven't been advocating for it.
I had not quite seen it that way and have no idea whether you are right or just paranoid. This being said, now that the First / Elite lines are gone for whatever reason, an alternative is needed and since CLEAR is the only one even remotely ready, I'll take it. I am not trying to give CLEAR a certifcate of ethics, just to go through security faster. Even if they did what you suggest, the point is that they have succeeded and that most priority lines are gone. So what do we do next ?