Over the years I’ve been a pretty regular, if not “frequent”, traveler – business, pleasure, and blog. (I always fly coach but usually “upgrade” to exit row seating for a fee – which I expect to be fully refunded in the event I’m called upon to evacuate the plane.) When I learned of the Clear card program, enabling one to zip through airport security as pre-screened flier, I started weighing the options.
The annual fee (now up to $199) was an initial deterrent. But time is valuable and I’m impatient, ultimately figuring I’d recoup that expense if saving even just ten minutes at each airport security checkpoint.
The bigger issue was giving up my digital identity. The Clear program scans and archives all fingerprints and both irises, which are mated with your personal information. When I began the registration process, I was under the impression I was dealing with a government initiative (which would be rolled out to all major US airports). As it turns out, Clear is a TSA-blessed private sector company/program (that must negotiate space/service in each airport). I’m not sure if that made me more or less comfortable. But it is what it is and we all have our price. So I reluctantly allowed my biometric markers to be recorded in order to save a few minutes.
After having sporadically used the card/lane, I’m letting my Clear service lapse today. In reality, the actual TSA airport screening process is no quicker. You’re essentially paying for a Clear queue that’s significantly shorter. In fact, it’s often devoid of travelers. However, my most frequently utilized airport (Washington Dulles, IAD) provides a “Diamond” security lane (for “expert” travelers) nearby that’s also pretty efficient. Not to mention I often travel with others and will end up waiting for them one way or another. May as well be sociable in line. But my biggest beef with Clear has been the lack of new airport outposts. Most notably the Las Vegas and Florida airports I hit several times a year. (Anyone who’s stood around 90 minutes to pass through security at LAS during CES feels my pain.)
So my just concluded work trip to Wyoming is my last with Clear. Which raises the question: What happens to all that personally identifiable data? According to Clear:
When your account is cancelled for any reason, we will remove your personal information from our system automatically after 90 days. There are some limited exceptions. Our credit card processors require us to retain a record of the financial transactions we conduct for 24 months. This includes your name, credit card number, address, and email address, so we can notify you if the financial transaction is disputed. Also, a copy of your biometric information (but not your name) is retained by the Transportation Security Clearinghouse to prevent fraudulent enrollments under alternate identities.
Assuming the process works as described, some of my information will be removed. Although, much will be retained (by Clear and TSA) though decoupled. I’m not sure what this means but doubt there’s a significant risk of abuse. And there hasn’t been any as far as I know. However, I raise this discussion point as we become increasingly digital (along with the bad guys).
While I do my best to keep info like this to myself, I’ll be giving up some as well to get a NEXUS card next week which lets me travel between the US and Canada.
Something to keep in mind. I’m not sure but it looked as though your CLEAR card had an RFID chip in it. Here’s a reason to get an RFID blocking wallet:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.05/rfid_pr.html
I recently saw a video of a hacker driving around SF with a laptop and an antenna in his car. During the course of the video he was able to scan and clone 3 or 4 passport RFID codes. Many people don’t know the new ones have chips in them.
It’s one thing to willingly give up info. It’s something else when the gov’t. has provided the means for others to steal it.
The Clear Card doesn’t use RFID – the chip is read only on contact. Excellent point on agencies/companies needing to take steps to appropriately protect confidential data.
I’m not doing it, past governments may have my data but no third party is going to get it. :-)
The Clear card is someone making a dishonest living off taxpayers! Think about it — airports are typically funded by federal tax money. We used to be able to move around them unhindered. Why should I pay someone for the priviledge of going through the line I helped pay for already. On a recent trip to DC, I got through DCA security faster than those in the Clear line.
I was also not sold on clear as MSP was always the fastest airport for me to get through on security. LAX was the worst, ugh. 90 minutes, anyone? MSP rarely takes me more than 20 and usually far less. The baggage drop area underground is also highly efficient. Take the rail in, take the underground tram, check in baggage, go up 2 floors on express escalator and get through security.
I got Clear because I dreaded the security lines at the Atlanta airport. However, Clear didn’t really offer me much time savings — maybe 10 minutes at most, since more inspection lanes were added by TSA. Clear’s ambitious plan for getting their subscribers the privilege of walking through the security without having to remove coats or shoes was shot down by the TSA.
Finally, the fee hike to $199 a year has pushed me out of considering renewal.
On the other hand, programs like Hertz Club Gold are fabulous, for bypassing those long lines at car rental desks….
I never even considered CLEAR. TSA has a lot of change to make (can I please leave my shoes on now? and bring a bottle of water with me?) but paying a subscription to go through the same procedures in a private queue – NO WAY.
Hertz #1 Gold is the only way to travel.
I previously used my Hertz Gold membership on work and personal travel until an employee trashed me on my own blog. (He thought he was anonymous. He wasn’t.) Since then, I’ve been going Avis Preferred. Same great/efficient sort of experience, but usually cheaper car rentals than Hertz.
How could the TSC decide if a subsequent enrollment is fraudulent if all they keep is the biometric data and not your name (or other identifying information). Biometrics would just tell them they’ve seen these biometrics enrolled before, but provide no insights into which, if any, of they claimed identities were real and which if any were fraudulent. To address duplicate/fraudulent enrollment means keeping the biometrics linked to identity records. So maybe TSC doesn’t keep the name, maybe its SSN, or an index into the FBI database or something else that is linkable to what they think is your identity. Either way its misleading.
frequent traveler here. Will never get CLEAR. Why do they need the biometric data, given that they don’t actually eliminate any security checks? What a scam..
Clear to cease operations! Bye Bye.
http://www.flyclear.com
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.
Clear’s Privacy Policy
Clear’s Online Privacy Policy
Hope they’ve got enough money left to dispose of my private data properly.
i’ve been a member of FLY CLEAR (or clear pass) more or less from its beginning and i’m, quite naturally, somewhat upset that they’ve suddenly ceased operations.
i fly a lot, and estimate that i routinely saved 30 minutes per trip using this system. it was a service that i appreciated, though i have noticed that in the last three minutes, the service has deteriorated rapidly (limited hours of operation, a visible drop in morale amongst their workers).
the privacy issue was somewhat of a concern for me, but then again, i’m not an american citizen, so i have already been subjected to a lot of scrutiny while in the process of getting my green card. compared to that, it did not feel like a more significant violation.
what concerns me now is the sudden loss of this service and the fact that those of us who are (were) members should be entitled to some sort of refund for the unused portion of our contract.
i have to investigate what my options are, but i would greatly appreciate any constructive feedback here.
correction above: regarding a deterioration in service, i meant to write 3 MONTHS (not 3 minutes)… *apologies*
I’ve been a member for a few years, so pretty much from the beginning. I am concerned about all of the personal information that they have and I really can’t understand why Clear wouldn’t have issued a statement regarding the issue of privacy/security.
Also, I JUST got and email about a month ago that it was time to renew. In fact my renewal period doesn’t even start until July 5th. I definitely want my $179.00 back!
I’m disappointed too. I used to have premier status on one carrier, but since I’ve lost that, and even when I had to fly on another carrier with whom I didn’t have status, the lines were much longer. Although I had to go through the same screening (response to the above post), the line was much, much shorter, and there was almost zero wait compared to snaking through the lines with all the other non-premier travelers. Very disappointing. I can only hope that their assets will be picked up by one of the other registered traveler companies, but Fly Clear appeared to be the largest of the bunch, so I’m not sure how likely that is.
Never even applied for the clear card as did not want to reveal my personal and none of their business information to a private company. But if you paid by credit card, why not dispute with them same as for when airlines go bankrupt.
Neeraj