Fergie's Tech Blog

'Clear' Shuts Down Registered Traveler Lanes

Benet Wilson writes on the Aviation Week "Things With Wings" Blog:

Verified Identity Pass’s Clear registered traveler lanes, located at 20 airports, are shutting down at 11:00 p.m. Pacific time tonight.

The company web site was blank except for a white page with the official statement and no calls were returned. Clear said it was “unable to negotiate an agreement with its senior creditor to continue operations.”

Orlando International Airport spokeswoman Carolyn Fennell said they had not received notice until late this afternoon via email that Clear was ceasing operations. "We haven't had time to evaluate the impact or get further information," she said.

The pilot program was rolled out with great fanfare July 18, 2005, in Orlando. Travelers initially paid $99 a year for a card that was supposed to target those who posed a minimum security risk, and give them a special line that would process them through airport security more quickly.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was slow to release the program from the pilot phase, finally giving the green light to roll out the program in January 2007. The program hit a snag after TSA halted the use of GE SRT kiosks designed to serve as a shoe scanner and explosives detection system, blunting one of the program’s key benefits – allowing passengers to keep on shoes and jackets, and keep laptop computers in their bags.

posted by Fergie @ 6/22/2009 08:38:00 PM