Airports' Clear Card security system abruptly scrapped

First they came for our puffer machines. Now they're dismantling the Clear Card system.

Or rather, dismantled. The system, which gave registered travelers who paid up to $200 and underwent a thorough background check an express lane to bypass the rigors of airport security, was suddenly shut down on Monday night at airports across the country.

No warning was given leading up to the closure: Many travelers showed up in the nick of time for their flights last night expecting to breeze through security in the Clear line, only to discover the special Clear checkpoints closed and being dismantled.

The Clear Registered Traveler program began in 2005, a project from an independent company called Verified Identity Pass Inc., but it unfortunately never made much of a splash with travelers. It ultimately registered 165,000 users, but operating costs were apparently through the roof. Here at SFO, Clear employed up to 60 workers. Now multiply that by the 20 airports in which the system was set up. My best estimate is that Clear was spending twice to three times its annual revenue on salaries alone.

Indeed, financial issues are at the heart of Clear's closure. According to a company statement, Clear couldn't reach an agreement with its senior creditor and had no choice but to close up shop.

The company has said it will not be issuing refunds... but will at least be "taking appropriate steps to delete" the personal information of its customers. That information, of course, is exceptionally rich and detailed, and it's nice to hear it will be disposed of securely.

The good news, as KTVU notes in the story linked above: Thanks to the recession, security lines at the airport are pretty short these days, even if you don't have a Clear Card to speed you through.