Maybe a crackdown Airy is being produced in the most populous state in the country?
On Tuesday, California lawmakers will begin considering a bill that, if passed, could introduce serious new regulations on expedited airport security services. Critics say it could effectively force Clear out of many Golden State airports.
The problem is the fact that Clear allows members to quickly bypass the Transportation Security Administration’s screening barrier.
The bill specifically prohibits airports from allowing third-party companies to give certain travelers expedited access to existing TSA lines — essentially, what Clear does for its paid members. me.
Instead, if the law passes, the company would likely have to foot the bill (and find space) to send its members to an entirely separate TSA screener. This requirement can be financially and physically challenging for Clear in constrained airport terminals.
First introduced in February, the bill will go before the state senate’s transportation committee on Tuesday, although it has a long way to go.
Before becoming law, it would have to pass through a committee, win approval from both houses of the California legislature and ultimately gain the signature of Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Although the bill faced stiff opposition, including from several major US airlines, it received support from the TSA workers union in California, not to mention the flight attendants union the nation’s largest.
The lawmaker questioned Clear’s process
Favourite Time-saving service For many frequent flyers, Clear offers members a shortcut through security with the help of quick biometric scans to verify the traveler’s identity. The traveler is then escorted to the front of the TSA security barrier (specifically, Clear members are also Enrolled in TSA PreCheck escorted to the front of the TSA PreCheck line).
Daily newsletter
Gift your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers to get breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive offers from TPG experts
This service costs $189 per year, although some travel credit card and frequent flyer programs may offer discounts (or even compensate completely) that annual cost.
Its author, California Sen. Josh Newman, an Orange County Democrat, said those same factors — a high annual fee and a cutting edge shortcut — inspired the bill.
“I know about the interaction that happened right at the TSA kiosks, where that funny Clear attendant pushed some other travelers out of the way and said, ‘ Sorry, Clear customers'”.
In Newman’s eyes, this process benefited wealthy tourists; Newman filed the bill “on behalf of frustrated travelers everywhere,” he said.
Flight attendants and TSA staff spoke up
Newman is attracting some support for the bill.
American Federation of Government Employees Local 1230, which represents TSA workers in Sacramento, signaled support for the legislation, according to a nonpartisan analysis of the bill. (TSA itself does not comment on any pending legislation, a spokesman said Monday.)
The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA has also voiced support, saying the proposed legislation “will restore equal access and treatment at airport security checkpoints,” AFA president Sara Nelson wrote in a letter seen by TPG.
Nelson also expressed concern about “irregularities” in Clear’s passenger verification process, “which raise concerns about the integrity of aviation security.”
It’s worth noting that Clear, in recent months, has embarked on a major upgrade to increase the caliber of its security verification platform – although that process has resulted in Complaints from some members about waiting time.
Airlines, businesses, and airport organizations protested
If Newman’s bill is seriously considered, it will certainly face strong opposition.
Six major US airlines – Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines – recently signed a letter opposing the bill.
If passed, the proposed law could increase checkpoint wait times and eliminate millions of dollars in revenue collected by airports through the Clear partnership, carriers argued in a letter obtained by TPG. Airlines say it could also cause ticket prices to rise and service to be reduced in California.
It’s worth noting that Alaska, Delta and United are all strategic partners with Clear.
However, according to the bill analysis, several state and local chambers of commerce have also spoken out against the proposed bill. The California Tourism Association and the California Airports Board — not to mention Clear itself — have done the same.
When asked about the proposed legislation, a Clear spokesperson did not comment specifically on the bill but noted that the company already shares more than $13 million in annual revenue with its California airport partners.
“We are always working with our airline and airport partners as well as local, state and federal governments to ensure all travelers have a safer, easier checkpoint experience,” the company said in a statement Monday.
Not an outright ban, the sponsor argued
For his part, Newman argued that his goal is not to ban Clear from airports — he just wants to eliminate the “line-cutting” aspect of the service.
He especially cited the new one Delta’s premium check-in lounge at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) as an example of how a pay-to-play security service can operate without inconveniencing other non-paying travelers.
“Maybe there’s another way to run this business,” Newman argued. “It’s just that at the moment no one is incentivized to find that out.”
Of course, for the bill to move forward, he must win the support of his fellow lawmakers. Many of them, Newman admits, use – and enjoy – Clear as frequent travelers to and from the state’s capital, Sacramento.
“I always ask them the same question,” he said. “It’s, ‘Hey, when the guy in the plaid shirt escorts you past the lady and her kids… did you look that person in the eye when you cut in front of them?'”
Because the bill is proposed in California, any eventual crackdown would only apply to airport locations in California — not airports in other parts of the country. Again, it all depends on the law being passed.
As of now, Clear has locations at more than a half-dozen Golden State airports, along with five stadiums and arenas.
Related reading:
