In an effort to make airline travel easier along comes Clear offering us “The Fast Pass for Airport Security”. Become a registered traveler with Clear and take the easy path through airport security. At participating airports you will be able to skip those long security lines and move through security with a designated Clear traveler line. While this is clearly designed for the business class and those that travel often it may not be a bad idea if even traveling just a few times a year. At just $99.95 per year with two and three year plans available this could be worth the cost with just 2 or 3 flights per year. While it may be hard to justify the extra cost at first, then you can think back and remember those long lines that you may have had to wait in in your last airport trip.
Enrollment is a two step process where you begin online by setting up your account then complete in person at a Clear enrollment station. The in person enrollment is similar to getting a passport where you will need to provide your fingerprints, get a photo taken and show two forms of government issued identification.
Clear is at just a few major airports so far, so make sure you will be traveling through one if you want to sign up. Clear does encourage everyone to contact local airports to set up a registered traveler program. They even provide contact information for many airports on their website.
If Clear was available at a few more major airports this may become a good alternative for many including the casual traveler. Personally I understand the need for extra security but the long lines and inconsistent screenings leave much to be desired at most airports. This would be a good program to take some of the traveling stress away for me, and for just $99 per year I would be able to easily break that cost down with just my minimal amount of traveling.
Security is just that: security. As soon as you start making exceptions you've compromised the system and it's no longer effective.
We already have too many privileges for the wealthy. The last place they should get special treatment is in life and death decisions.
This is the nothing but another step to developing a permanent aristocracy in the US. Why should anyone be able to buy bribe their way out of security checks? You unwashed masses can go to Hell and rot.
I have heard that all this really does it get your to the front of the line. Now do they have their own people that do the checks because I thought only Government officials could do that?