Does Clear Make Any Sense?
 

When they were first starting up Clear years ago, it was supposed to be a sort of trusted traveler program - you would apply, be vetted, and would get to go to the head of the line AND have a less rigorous security check (leaving shoes on was going to be one of the perks.)

As I understand it, even though there is some vetting when you join, it has now lost any pretense of being any sort of trusted traveler program. You pay your money, you get to to to the head of the line, but you then get the same security check as everyone else.

Why do the airports allow the program? What is the public policy rationale for letting you go to the front of the line by paying money to a company which exists for no other purpose than taking people's money to let them go to the head of the line?

At least when the airlines have the elite lines there is some rationale related to the airline's business.

The only reason I can think of is that the airports receive rent money from Clear to allow the program.

It makes big sense to me, as I fly out of SFO often, and it saves a LOT of time. I always know that I can get through security in less than 3 minutes.

From the NY Times in May of this year

Airports have financial and logistical enticements to work with Clear. The company shares revenue from its members’ fees with airports. A special Clear lane arguably eases overall congestion at security checkpoints while raising money and providing a service for which time-pressed business travelers, who cringe at long security lines, are willing to pay $179 a year.

“We paid Orlando in the first year close to a million dollars, and delivered a much better experience to their customers,” said Ms. Seidman-Becker, a prominent hedge fund manager and a co-founder of Alclear Holdings. Alclear bought the old Clear’s assets, including its signature kiosks and special technology, for about $5.7 million in bankruptcy court.

I can see the revenue incentive to airports.

I don't see how it eases overall congestion, as I believe after you go through clear you are still inspected by a TSA agent, so no net reduction in the load on the TSA.

Does Clear Make Any Sense?
 

Since SFO will start precheck at UA and Virgin/AA on Nov 14, I can't help but think it'll eat away at Clear's slice of the pie.

Does Clear Make Any Sense?
 

[email protected] to know regarding SFO PreCheck. I fly through there on the 15th. I was going to comment that the Clear line is significantly faster than even the elite lines. United has a GS line down near gate 74 (IIRC) that is too far out of the way to be a benefit. The Clear lane at SFO went where I would've put the elite line. One of my good friends is a 1K and we travel together occasionally. Her home airport is SFO, so she got Clear. We both checked in bags for a flight recently and I went through GS line while she went through Clear......surprise, surprise....she got through security first and at the central split point for the United terminal.

It will be quite interesting to see how PreCheck is implemented in SFO. It'll be even nicer to stop getting the triple beep while I'm passing through only to be told it still means nothing there.

Does Clear Make Any Sense?
 

Here's the link I found:

http://blog.sfgate.com/cmcginnis/2012/11/08/precheck-trusted-traveler-lanes-arrive-at-sfo/

I had the same question. What about the so called security if it can be bought?

So it make sense because you like it. I think OT had a deeper concern, but I may be wrong.

I'm not spending any more money unless I get to keep my shoes on.

I think you are just buying a cut in line - you get the same security check as everyone else. I believe only with TSA PreCheck do you get a lower level of scrutiny.

OK, I'll expound a bit.
The OP is asking if Clear makes sense, given that Pre-Check exists.

Pre-Check is not always available. You are not guaranteed to get Pre-Check on every flight even if you are accepted into the program. Also, GE is currently a prerequisite for Pre-Check, since it is a trusted traveler program. I was denied GE (Yes, I'm one of the "bad" guys). I fly a lot out of SFO, and with Clear, I know that I can clear security in less than 3 minutes every time. I wouldn't have that assurance with Pre-Check.

Honestly, I think a lot of folks are down on Clear only because of the $179 annual cost. But when I consider what my time is worth, the cost is minimal. In fact, even if I was accepted for Pre-Check, I would probably still keep Clear. And I can add a family member for $50. I pay more than that (and get less) for the annual dues to a professional engineering organization that I belong to.

As an added bonus, I love the open-jawed looks and stares from the pax in the 30 minute long security line as I get escorted to the front of the line. And they do escort you, so there are never any confrontations with pax.

You are not buying security. Clear only allows you to cut to the front of the line. You still get the same security check as everyone else.

Which goes back to the original question I asked.

I see the public policy rationale for having a "trusted traveler" program, which is what Clear was originally supposed to be. However, when the TSA ultimately did not allow a different inspection for Clear members as Clear initially promised, it became a program where you simply pay money to cut the line.

I assume that it is because of the initial "trusted traveler" idea that Clear still has the biometric looking checkpoints, even though that level or security really serves no purpose.

I don't see the public policy rationale for allowing some people to pay money to a private company to cut the line for a governmental service.

Just to add my .02

I was with CLEAR old and new. I was considering dropping it once the PreChk fired up at MCO, buti am gladi kept it.

I now refer to it as my insurance policy for MCO. PreChk has been good, but is not 100%. if i do not get the three beeps, it is my get out of jail card, allowing me to bypass the line on the other side. Not as good as pre, but more consistent.

CLEAR is not for everyone, but I find value in it. Pre does not work on an intl itenerary. And in MCO, Pre is only on one side of the terminal.

I just renewed me and my partner.

The biometrics serve as your ID. You don't have to show a passport or DL when going through Clear.

As far as the public policy rationale. Here in CA, some people pay money to drive solo in the carpool lane (toll lane), and they are paying a government agency to do it. Saving time, just as in Clear.

The airlines have special OLCI and Kiosk offers that alllow non status Y pax the opportunity to use elite lines, including security check points.. What's the difference?

BTW, I pity the fool in SFO that pays UA $40 for the use of the premier line...... That line can be three times worse than the regular line:)

Amen to that! That "Premier" line at UA SFO is a distant memory since I've had Clear. I'll never go back.

BTW, I'm doing SFO-MCO soon, and am looking forward to using Clear on both ends.

That is not exactly correct re the car pool lanes.

You can only pay your way into a carpool lane which is determined to be underutilized. So no buying your way into the carpool lanes in the central SF Bay Area, for example.

When you buy your way into an underutilized carpool lane it is not at the expense of anyone else, i.e., no one has a longer journey because you are in the underutilized lane.

In contrast, when you use clear, when you go to the head of the line you are causing others to wait longer.

Are you sure about that? Do you live in the Bay Area? I think none of the carpool lanes are underutilized here, particularly in the South Bay. And they are talking of eventually expanding the toll lanes to all of the highways. The infrastructure needs to be built up (transponder readers, etc). In fact, I read that Hwy 85 in San Jose will be converted, and traffic on that 20 mile stretch is far worse than 101 through the central bay area.
The idea is purely for the agencies to receive the additional money, they have even admitted it.

As far as Clear delaying people in the security line: That is another reason they escort you, to minimize the delay. And the delay is very minimal, believe me, only a few seconds, because you place all your items in the trays while standing outside of the line. Then, the escort jumps in and places your items on the belt and puts you in line. I've never heard anyone complain :)

Why does the phrase "you have to pay to play" ring in my head? In MCO, game on:)

In reality the CLEAR line feeds to different places depending on that day's config. Often it feeds into the crew line, not a regular line (at least on the DL side)

Sometimes they open the rope and boot me in right in front of a pile of kettles. Sure I feel a little guilty for about a minute. It passes.

If you get Uber-Clear Plus, it passes in only 30 seconds....try it

CLEAR plus TSA Pre-Check is an unbeatbable combination. I fly out of DEN once a week. If the TSA Pre-Check comes through, my total time going through security aveages about 3 minutes. Without Pre-Check you will be subject, of course, to the standard security search, but CLEAR cuts out the whole first step of waiting in line to have your license/passport checked. How often do we show up two or two-and-a-half hours early because the biggest crapshoot of the day is the length of the security line. For me, at least CLEAR provides some assurance that I've already won half the battle of getting through security. If the Pre-Check comes through, it's a complete victory.

No there's not much point. It's just another cost to frequent flyers. People who fly a lot get priority security anyways. Airports like MCO actually had no FF line because of clear.

That's not true anymore.
MCO has both FF lines, as well as, recently opened Pre-Check. I do not expect Clear to survive for long at MCO.

Clear used to be a client of mine (I work in advertising) back under the original ownership of Steven Brill. Their business model was shoddy, as their revenue stream was compromised by the fees they had to pay airports like MCO (their launch airport, from what I remember) and the low pool of potential customers, despite having presence in major metro areas, like NYC.

Though the new ownership group doesn't have the legacy costs of the old Clear, I think the challenges they face have multiplied. I don't know what they pay out to the few airports they operate in, but back in the day, the demand was simply much lower than what their financial model required for survival.

I was a Clear member back then, and used it in LGA and CVG and it was nice to be guaranteed breezy pass-through. But I'm not sure that the incremental 5 minutes in the FF line in a 2nd tier airport like MCO, SFO or DEN would be worth the $179/year. It is to some, obviously, but I wonder if the number of those folks is enough for the Clear to break even.

I don't care if people can pay to cut in line - it already happens in many places by virtue of flying business / first anyway.

I do have a problem with a 'trusted traveller' concept. There is no one I would consider 100% trustworthy. But wait, what about that 80 year old grandma? That army officer? The priest? Nope, nope and nope. Firstly, I don't buy the idea that terrorists have a 'look' - despite Hollywood's ideas to the contrary. Just because someone has a certain skin colour, is a certain age, or travelling with their child does not make them 'safe'. The 80 year old grandma? "Hey lady, we have your grandkids, and will kill them unless you smuggle this explosive through the security line and give it to our guy on the other side". The army officer, could he have suffered PTSD and now has a somewhat twisted sense of right and wrong, and his duty to protect? The priest - long term planning, sure, but it doesn't take much to become a priest.

CLEAR: Low Demand
 

That's a good point. When I'm departing DEN, usually Sunday afternoon or early evening, there is never anyone in the CLEAR line, except me.

Clear longer than FF line
 

Last Monday (12/10) I waited in the Clear line on the Southwest/Delta end of MCO. While waiting, I realized that there is now a first class/A-List line right next to the Clear line. The first class/A-list line had about 1/3 the number of people as the Clear line. The Clear employees where aware of this, and asked me to email their bosses to see if they would be able to negotiate with TSA for a 2nd lane.

Clear just opened at LAS. :cool: While sadly I have not been to LAS for some time but my recollection is that the TSA lines were horrific on Sundays, particularly for the WN terminals.

Even though I always get precheck, Clear makes sense for me based at SFO/SJC, particularly as I fly often to IAH/HOU and occasionally DEN. It is an even better deal if your family travels frequently as the add-on is only $50/yr. for your spouse, and children <12 are free. ^

+1 Particularly now that Clear has been added to the International Terminal where TSA line times vary significantly. It is also nice that Clear users are now permitted to use pre-check but avoid the sometimes lengthy precheck line @SFO T3

+1 Lines at DEN used to be horrible on holiday weekends but not so bad lately. However it is nice to know that I will Clear quickly.

I had clear for a year or so. Prior to pre-check, I could see significant value in it if you regularly flew out of the airports that it covers. I flew out of SFO T2 a lot and it was a nice timesaver, plus they escorted you right to the table to put your items down (also would get a bin for you). In DFW, they weren't at the most convenient checkpoint for me. On occasion I would move down a checkpoint to use it, but here they would just have you cut the initial line and then you would wait in a line for the actual security check (also this checkpoint had the nudescope while my normal one was just a magnetometer).

Now that I'm 100% pre-check, at most I wait 2 minutes at SFO T-2. There's almost no value to me in Clear anymore.

Love my Clear card
 

My two cents worth.
I fly enough to be PreCheck most of the time, but always use my Clear card. I fly from MCO and DEN and in both places it's easier and faster to use Clear as the Pre lines are getting longer now days. At MCO they usually put me into the Pre line if I have that on my boarding pass and I think Clear is adding that as a permanent feature at MCO. I literally chuckle to myself every time I go thru security using my Clear. :)
But admittedly, if you only want to pay for one, Pre is more widely used (I fly from DFW all the time too and only have used Clear once because of the location of the kiosk).