Clear® Completes Rollout of Express Security Lanes at SFO; All Terminals Fully Operational. Network Effect in Play as Clear Cards Now Used Roundtrip on Key Coast-to-Coast Routes. 6,000th Member Enrolls in San Francisco, Joining 70,000 Nationwide.

 

SAN FRANCISCO, OCTOBER 17, 2007 – Clear®, the leading service provider of airport security fast pass lanes at U.S. airports, announced today the opening of its lanes at the international terminal at SFO. This completes Clear’s launch at the Airport following inauguration of the program by the Airport and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom on August 15 (the domestic terminals opened last month). This airport-wide rollout of the program allows all passengers flying on any airline to use Clear.

 

Clear also announced that Virgin Atlantic Airways will be promoting Clear with a variety of initiatives that include ticket inserts, in-terminal advertising and special promotions.

 

Clear founder and CEO Steven Brill said that 6,000 travelers have signed up for Clear in San Francisco in the two months since the program opened and that Clear has now passed the threshold of 70,000 sign-ups nationwide. SFO is Clear’s tenth airport. “The launch of SFO, along with the start-up of Clear at the New York airports – as well as the announcements by airport officials in several other major cities that they are now going to launch registered traveler programs – has produced a dramatic network effect; frequent fliers now see that this is a coast-to-coast national network, which means the value of the card is increasing exponentially, with enrollment increasing accordingly,” Brill explained.

 

For example, passengers flying on the heavily-traveled route between SFO and JFK can now use Clear when flying Virgin America and United, among other airlines, from the international and domestic terminals, while travelers flying between SFO and Orlando can use Clear roundtrip when flying AirTran or Delta.

"Now passengers at SFO can take advantage of the Clear program throughout the airport, providing a valuable customer service initiative,” said John L. Martin, Director of San Francisco International Airport. “Clear has promised a fast, predictable experience going through airport security, and the accelerating pace of sign ups,” Martin added, “means that people who have Clear cards are obviously now telling their friends that this service works.”

 

Bay area Clear member Carol Kaufman, SVP of Legal Affairs at The Cooper Companies, said, “Clear has saved me a great deal of time and hassle at both SFO and JFK. I recently arrived at the airport to catch a late evening flight to the East Coast only to face a long queue of passengers at the security area. Fortunately, my Clear card sped me through the process and I made my flight easily.” She added, “I’ve encouraged many colleagues to join the program. Clear is a valuable benefit for any active business traveler.”

 

San Mateo Clear member, Mike Steinharter, SVP of Sales at the software firm Serena, said, “I use the Clear card now in both directions between JFK and SFO on a regular basis and really enjoy the efficiency it gives me. Service is also always very friendly, which is a real bonus to find in any airport these days! I've advised my colleagues to look into the service as well and know that some of them have already done so.”

 

The Clear lanes are open to all travelers out of SFO’s international terminal’s A checkpoint from 5:30AM – Midnight and G checkpoint from 8:00AM – 11PM. In the domestic terminals, Clear is open from 4:30AM-12:00 midnight (terminal 1 B and C) and from 4:30AM-12:00 midnight (East) and 4:30AM-11:00PM (West) in terminal 3.

 

“The Clear Registered Traveler program at SFO is an important benefit that will add to Virgin Atlantic’s service to London Heathrow,” said Chris Rossi, Senior Vice President, North America. "On the ground and in the air, Virgin Atlantic offers a signature combination of service and product. Clear is an innovative step which will enhance the Virgin Atlantic experience, reducing stress and saving time for our travelers."

 

“Whether you’re flying across the country or around the world, Clear will provide fast, convenient service at the checkpoint. We’re grateful to our partners at Virgin Atlantic who are known for their own innovative service and are now helping us extend exactly that kind of service to their customers,” Brill added.

 

“We’re now seeing sign-ups here at SFO by people not only from the Bay Area but from all over the country,” added Clear senior vice president Allison Beer. “For example, travelers from a major market that does not yet have Clear are signing up here because they fly into and out of SFO, JFK or Orlando regularly, plus they know a registered traveler program is soon going to be at their home airport because officials there have said so. This month,” Beer added, “we achieved a milestone of having Clear members in every state and every major city in the nation.”

 

Clear provides members with access to a separate, faster line through airport security checkpoints by using an identity card containing their encrypted fingerprint or iris images. The annual fee of $99.95 is charged once applicants are pre-screened and approved by the government. Applicants start their enrollment at flyclear.com and complete the process at an enrollment location where their biometrics (fingerprints and iris images) are captured and their identification is validated.

 

The Clear enrollment station in the international terminal is open from 8:00AM – 7:00 PM daily and in Terminals 1 and 3 on the ticketing level from 5AM-10PM every day. Enrollment is also available at the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero from 7AM-7PM on weekdays and from 10AM-5:30PM on weekends, and at the Grand Hyatt Union Square from 7AM-7PM on weekdays.

 

In addition to San Francisco, Clear cards are currently accepted at Albany, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Little Rock, New York’s JFK, Newark, Orlando, Reno, San José and Westchester County (NY) airports, and soon, LaGuardia. Four to six other major airports are expected to launch RT programs this fall.

 

About Clear - Verified Identity Pass's Clear program is the largest registered traveler program operating at U.S. airports. Clear has been operational since July 19, 2005 and has 70,000 members. For more information, please visit: flyclear.com.

 

About San Francisco International Airport - SFO (www.flysfo.com) offers nonstop links with more than 30 international points on 26 international carriers. The Bay Area’s Airport of Choice connects non-stop with more than 80 cities in the United States on 23 domestic airlines, including more than twice as many non-stop flights to the New York area than other Bay Area airports combined.