The “Clear” travel program, while it lasted, was a favorite of harried business travelers all over the U.S. The paid service basically had one purpose, to speed frequent travelers through security lines.
While I never paid the program fee, many of my most frequent fliers loved it, especially at airports like Washington-Dulles (where more people I know have missed security lines than any other), or airports like Miami and Orlando, where business travelers are often held up by souvenir-toting tourists.
But last year, “Verified Identity Pass,” the company that ran the program, shut down abruptly, leaving travelers with useless prepaid memberships, and back in the regular lines.
Now, a company known as Alclear is trying to bring the program back. The New York-based company purchased the assets of Verified Identity Pass, which ran Clear, in March, 2010. And at least in Orlando, the airport is going to give them a chance.
As reported in the Orlando Sentinel the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority voted to allow Alclear to resume the Clear program, from amongst three companies bidding on the contract.
As part of their bid, Alclear pledged that they would honor previous Clear clients’ memberships for the remaining months on those contracts. New members would be charged $179 a year. Alclear says they will be operational by November, just in time for the busy holiday season. The company also apparently has come to an agreement with Denver International Airport.
Since the original Clear didn’t survive, there is of course the question, is the business model viable, and what makes this company any different? But an Alclear spokesman says they plan to be successful in part because they will go beyond airport-security lines, with long-term plans including registered-identification services to clients for everything from parking to cruises.
In addition, the original Clear program was damaged by negative publicity when an employee misplaced a laptop containing sensitive information. While the company said no secure information was accessed, the incident cannot have helped their reputation. Presumably Alclear, mindful of the story, will be particularly sensitive to the security issue,
At this point, it’s probably too soon to tell if Alclear’s ambitious plans will come to fruition. For the record, they also have purchased and are already running the old Flyclear.com website. And since they plan to honor prepaid plans, it’s likely a pretty no-risk proposition for former Clear customers.
Personally, I have mixed feelings about passengers buying their way out of lines. On the other hand, this happens all the time with priority lines for first class passengers and frequent travelers. And anything that makes business travelers happier and potentially more likely to fly is good for the travel industry.
So stay tuned, frequent travelers, there once again may be a Clear path again through the airport.
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Janice Hough is a California-based travel agent a travel blogger and a part-time comedy writer. A frequent flier herself, she’s been doing battle with airlines, hotels, and other travel companies for over three decades. Besides writing for Travelers United, Janice has a humor blog at Leftcoastsportsbabe.com (Warning, the political and sports humor therein does not represent the views of anyone but herself.)
