Posted by
Madeline's Dad on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 8:01:20 AM
A few months ago, I posted about a business that had recently opened in Denver, out at the airport. DIA is now part of the Clear network. Clear has a pretty interesting concept for business travelers. You sign up by paying a fee (some of the $$ goes to Clear, some to the TSA), and providing two pieces of ID. The Clear folks then do a background check to make sure you aren't a bad guy, then issue you a special card that identifies you as you. It uses both retina scanning and fingerprint recognition to ensure the person holding the card is the person named on the card.
You get to go to a special line at the TSA screening area in certain airports (more airports being added each month!), have a "concierge" assist you in getting your Ziploc baggie of liquids/gels, laptop, and shoes thru the x-ray machine, and will also get you into the metal detector line faster. Clear promises to get you thru the process in 4 minutes or less.
With my current frequent flyer status, I'm able to get to the head of the security lines a little bit faster, but Clear should help the process even more. My last two flights out of DIA were cut close due to "challenges" at the TSA lines with Spring Breakers and other non-professional travelers.
I completed the application online-they ask for your drivers license number, addresses for the last 5 years, current employer, stuff like that. You then get an assigned number, which you take to a Clear kiosk (some cities, like Denver, have a location outside of the airport as well.), and present your two forms of ID. I was unable to complete the process yesterday, as the birth certificate has to be a certified copy. So, back to the WAMK office, a quick online search to see how to get a copy from the hospital, and I ordered one. I should have all of the necessary paperwork in order by the end of the week, and then I can submit it. Clear says it takes about two weeks to complete the background check, and then I get my card. All in all, it was a fairly easy process, felt that the website asking questions on my personal info was safe and secure, and easy to use.