It’s not supposed to work this way.
Ostensibly, the Clear program runs similarly to Pre-Check. That is, it’s supposed to cut down the time a passenger has to wait on security by getting a preclearance.
Now, the Transportation Security Administration is looking into the program.
The scrutiny comes after Clear let a passenger get through security carrying ammunition. The incident happened last year but came to light in a new report.
The Clear program runs differently than Pre-Check. With Clear, a fingerprint scan and a scan of the iris is used. The passenger found carrying ammunition was also found later to be using a false name and identification.
It is administered by a private security firm, hence the investigation.
Unlike other verification programs that are more popular, Clear is only used in about 50 airports across the country. The report said that facial identification is only one component of the program, but in this case it might have been less than a full picture of the face. The report found that the program is too reliant on employee reliability as well.
The private security firm in question did acknowledge the incident from July of 2022. But the company blamed it on "a single human error".
In response, Clear said, "We took immediate action to end the practice that led to the human error and took corrective action to fully re-enroll the minuscule percentage of our customers enrolled under this process."
The TSA also demanded that one of its own agents verify a passenger’s identity, but that edict has yet to be implemented.
Clear also questioned the accuracy of the media report, saying, "Bloomberg published a story that inaccurately characterizes Clear's robust security and our work with the TSA in keeping airports safe."
The 13-year-old program has more than 16 million members.
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