DEL.ICIO.USClear: No plans for refunds
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Customers of Clear, which shut down its paid security lines at airports in Atlanta and other cities Monday evening, shouldn’t expect refunds anytime soon, according to its Web site.
Clear charged as much as $199 for annual memberships, targeting frequent business travelers seeking a faster security screening process. But Clear said parent company Verified Identity Pass couldn’t get a deal with a key creditor to stay in business.
John Spink / jspink@ajc.com
Clear charged as much as $199 for annual memberships, targeting frequent business travelers seeking a faster security screening process.
“At the present time, because of its financial condition, Verified Identity Pass, Inc. cannot issue refunds,” a message on the site said.
Clear said applicant and member data are “secured in accordance with the Transportation Security Administration’s Security, Privacy and Compliance Standards.” Verified Identity Pass “will continue to secure such information and will take appropriate steps to delete the information,” according to the Web site.
The company did background checks and collected fingerprints and iris images from members, who then could use special security lanes at 21 airports around the country.
Bob Peterson, who lives in Suwanee and travels weekly on business, joined Clear last year but found that “usually it wasn’t any faster.”
He didn’t plan to renew and didn’t expect a refund.
“I’m sure they just didn’t get enough people to sign up,” Peterson said. “Their timing couldn’t be worse, with the slowdown in travel.”
Traveler Paul Amoruso of Marietta said he saw no value in the service, particularly because “now, companies including mine are cutting back.”
But Tom Rice of Alpharetta said he was thinking of joining Clear next week because of frustration with the other screening options at the Atlanta airport.
Steven Brill, founder of Court TV, launched the Clear registered traveler program in 2005. In an interview, he speculated that the economy contributed to the company’s problems, along with the challenge of dealing with the TSA.
“From the beginning, it was frustrating to try to do something new in the context of a big government agency,” Brill said. “But that’s not an excuse. I think it could have worked, and it should have worked. … I still think there’s a place and a need for this kind of common-sense risk management.”
Other factors also hurt Clear. When an Atlanta City Council committee approved Clear lanes for Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport last year, Chairwoman Clair Muller said she also wanted airport officials to launch streamlined, free security lanes for non-Clear members.
Hartsfield-Jackson expanded its security checkpoints and launched free lanes with designations such as black diamond for expert travelers. That cut wait times and lessened Clear’s advantage. Clear also hoped to gain privileges such as allowing its members to skip some screening steps, but it couldn’t get TSA approval.
Hartsfield-Jackson spokesman John Kennedy said no decision has been made on whether another Registered Traveler program will operate in Atlanta. Clear competitor Vigilant Solutions, which is much smaller, said it will accept Clear cards at its Jacksonville and Louisville airport operations.
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