Press Release

 

August 31, 2006
British Airways and Clear To Launch Registered Traveler at New York's JFK Airport

 

NEW YORK – Clear® Registered Traveler announced today that it has made an agreement with British Airways to launch Clear at the British Airways Terminal 7 at John F. Kennedy International Airport this fall and to market the program to British Airways' customers across North America.

 

Terminal 7, which serves several other major airlines in addition to British Airways, will thus become the first facility in the New York area to have registered traveler – the program that allows business travelers and other frequent fliers to pay a small annual fee and provide background information about themselves so that they can be pre-screened by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and be provided a biometric identity card that will allow them expedited access through airport security checkpoints.

 

"We are pleased to now have an agreement with Clear to operate the registered traveler program at our JFK terminal and to engage in a variety of co-marketing activities," said Robin Hayes, Executive Vice President, The Americas, British Airways. "The customer service benefits that Clear will offer our valued customers not only in New York but in cities where Clear will launch in the future are consistent with the innovations that British Airways is renowned for delivering."

Under TSA's recently-issued rules for operating registered traveler programs, airports as well as airlines can sponsor programs with service providers like Clear.

Beyond operating Clear Registered Traveler at Terminal 7, other aspects of the agreement include jointly-sponsored in-office corporate enrollment, and a jointly-branded marketing campaign highlighting the convenient, predictable experience that British Airways is offering through Clear.

 

"We're delighted that British Airways has become the first airline to partner with us," said Clear founder and CEO Steven Brill. "British Airways is a brand that stands for innovation and superior service, especially for business people making the trip across the Atlantic. We're excited," Brill added, "about bringing this new benefit to British Airways' customers and the plans we have created to promote the registered traveler program with British Airways by advertising our partnership broadly and using our mobile enrollment kiosks to facilitate our joint marketing efforts to British Airways corporate clients throughout New York who travel overseas regularly from the Terminal 7 at JFK. Because all cards for registered traveler will be interoperable," Brill noted "once customers join the program, they will not only be able to use the card at British Airways' JFK Terminal, but also at other terminals at New York airports once these terminals launch RT programs, as well as in all the other cities that are about to launch programs."

"Our partnership," Brill concluded, "has even greater potential because we have already announced plans to begin a Clear program in Toronto and other key cities in Canada."

 

In late May TSA published its "business model" for registered traveler, which included details – from the technical specifications to ensure the interoperability of different programs in different venues, to the process by which airports or airlines could apply to sponsor a program and select a service provider. Clear Registered Traveler has already negotiated agreements with the Orlando, Cincinnati, San José, Indianapolis and Toronto Airports, which are the only airports in North America that have chosen service providers thus far. The Orlando program, which was launched in July of last year as the demonstration pilot for the private sector registered traveler program, now has more than 27,000 members.

 

About British Airways
British Airways is one of the world's largest international airlines carrying around 36 million passengers a year to some 140 destinations (including 22 in North America) in over 70 countries. Also, one of the world's longest established airlines, it has always been regarded as an industry-leader. Renowned for its innovative products and service initiatives, the airline was the first airline to introduce flat bed seats.

 

About Verified Identity Pass and Clear
Verified Identity Pass's Clear Registered Traveler is the first privately run registered traveler program operating at a U.S. airport. Clear has been operational since July 19, 2005, at Orlando International Airport and today has over 27,000 members. In addition to the British Airways Terminal 7 at JFK, Clear will begin operations at Norman Y. Mineta San José, Indianapolis and Cincinnati International Airports, upon approval from TSA. Verified ID has an agreement with Toronto Pearson International Airport to operate a Canadian program, working with Canadian authorities. In February, General Electric made a $16 million investment to become a partner in Verified Identity Pass. A Clear verification kiosk, co-developed with GE, with explosive trace detection and shoe scanning technology is being tested, in cooperation with TSA, at the Orlando Airport. Once approved by TSA, the new equipment is intended to allow members in the Clear lanes to keep their shoes and jackets on as they pass through the security checkpoint. For more information: www.FlyClear.com and www.verifiedidpass.com.