The Clear program, which allowed members to breeze through
airport security before it abruptly shut down last year, is expected to
be up and running again by the fall.
The company was taken over by Alclear LLC, whose board includes Michael
Chertoff, former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Alclear bought Clear's former owner, Verified Identity Pass, which filed
for bankruptcy.
When the program shut down in June, there was a lot of concern among
members because of the sensitive personal data they volunteered in
exchange for quick passage through security gates.
Although the former owner, Verified Identity Pass, was private, Clear
had to report personal information to the Transportation Security
Administration.
The data is currently stored by a large unnamed security company. Former
Clear customers will soon be sent a notice, asking if they want their
personal data transferred to Alclear. If not, the data will be
destroyed.
To join, passengers must be fingerprinted and have their irises scanned
for positive identification, plus turn over information including Social
Security numbers that the company shares with the TSA. In return, they
get excess to shorter security lines at about 20 airports across the
country.
Alclear said in a statement Tuesday that the subscription terms of
nearly 160,000 previous members will be honored. Enrollment for new
members will start this summer. It did not say how many airports will
have the new version of the service.
A Clear membership will cost $179 for unlimited use.
Clear grew out of the Transportation Security Administration's
Registered Traveler program. It was founded in 2003 by Steven Broil, the
businessman behind media ventures such as court and American Lawyer
magazine. Broil left the company in February when a group of investors
took control of the company.
David Mikael Taclino
Inyu Web Development and Design
Creative Writer
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