New York City – Clear, the registered traveler program that allows members to pass through airport security lanes more easily, on Monday announced a partnership with Delta Air Lines.
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In July, Clear, which is owned by Manhattan-based Verified Identity Pass Inc., will begin operating fast lanes for airport security at Delta terminals in John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International and LaGuardia airports.
Individuals must provide Verified with $128, an iris scan, electronic fingerprints and the information needed for a federal background check to apply for a Clear identity card. Membership allows them to pass quickly through special airport security lanes. The program costs $100 annually, after the first year.
Delta has also announced a new wireless check-in program at LaGuardia.
The pilot program, which begins Tuesday, is aimed squarely at business travelers, allowing them to drop bags off at the curb and go straight to the gate, never touching a paper ticket or boarding pass. Bags still must be at the airport at least 30 minutes before the flight, but without a bag, wireless check-in takes about as lng as the walk to your gate, said Josh Weiss, of Delta.com.
“You can actually check in from a taxi on your way to the airport, and then basically go straight to your seat on the plane,” Weiss said.
The program, which for now only includes domestic flights originating from LaGuardia, is similar to one Continental has in place at Newark, Boston, Washington and Houston.
Travelers check in via mobile phones within 24 hours of the flight, then data transferred to their phone is scanned by Transportation Security Administration workers as they head for their gate. Delta worked with NCR on the technology for the program, which then had to be approved by the TSA.
“TSA had the obligation to make sure every step of the process was secure,” said Weiss.
What data stored on a mobile phone is “scanned”?