4 ms·

Maybe it's just me, but Clear always pissed me off. You shouldn't be able to pay the government to cut to the front of the line. I'm perfectly fine with paying

by smanek 17y ago

Maybe it's just me, but Clear always pissed me off. You shouldn't be able to pay the government to cut to the front of the line. I'm perfectly fine with paying more to the airline to cut to the front of their line. But everyone should get equal service from the government.

liquidcool 17y ago
Well, you can already pay extra to expedite your passport application. I've paid the DMV a couple extra dollars to renew online instead of in person or via mail. It's equal service to those who pay for it. By the same token, why not have an "Oh, crap!" kiosk for passengers running late? They can pay an extra 20 bucks and get a pass that allows them to use a shorter line. Maybe airlines could include it with first class tickets (you certainly pay enough for them, it's not like you'd notice the extra $20). And if you don't want to pay, you use the longer line your taxes bought. If they price it right, they could hire more people for both lines and everyone wins.
- Tichy 17y ago
  Not sure how airports in the US work, but aren't first class tickets already supposed to give you a shorter line? I am pretty sure the last time I booked a flight (extra-low economy class - easyjet) there was an option to pay for a shorter line.
  - deleted 17y ago
    [deleted]
  - patio11 17y ago
    You can buy your way out of the line at the gate (first class boards first, despite the fact that this is decidedly non-optimal from an operational perspective), but the security checkpoint is not at the gate. The gate line is managed by the airline and is primarily concerned with ensuring passengers get on the right plane. (They saved me from an impromptu trip to Seattle when I was to the JavaOne conference. International travel does strange things to the brain.) Another concern is earning the airline money through rigidly enforcing the class system. (+) The security line is managed by the TSA (an arm of the government) and its (stated) primary purposes are to ensure bad people and bad things do not get passed it. (+) I watched the 2nd to last person onto the plane get yelled at for going through the left priority boarding line when she was holding an economy ticket, and holding an infant to boot. They made her back up three feet and go through the economy boarding line. It someone could have telepathically read my thoughts they would have probably taken away my Vast Right Wing Conspiracy card.
  - scotch_drinker 17y ago
    Southwest Airlines has priority lanes at the security checkpoint in several airports for their Business Select and A-List customers. You get to move to the front of the screening line if you pay for those tickets. This is exactly what Clear was doing without the stupid background check.
gojomo 17y ago
I'm for government adopting the same best practices as would private firms performing similar operations. When all the post-9/11 distortions finally work through the system, we might go back to a regime where many/most airports handled their own security, with private firms, but to federal standards.
Lagged2Death 17y ago
You shouldn't be able to pay the government to cut to the front of the line. Agreed, but did the government actually see any of the money collected by Clear?

by smanek 17y ago

liquidcool 17y ago

Well, you can already pay extra to expedite your passport application. I've paid the DMV a couple extra dollars to renew online instead of in person or via mail. It's equal service to those who pay for it. By the same token, why not have an "Oh, crap!" kiosk for passengers running late? They can pay an extra 20 bucks and get a pass that allows them to use a shorter line. Maybe airlines could include it with first class tickets (you certainly pay enough for them, it's not like you'd notice the extra $20). And if you don't want to pay, you use the longer line your taxes bought. If they price it right, they could hire more people for both lines and everyone wins.

Tichy 17y ago
Not sure how airports in the US work, but aren't first class tickets already supposed to give you a shorter line? I am pretty sure the last time I booked a flight (extra-low economy class - easyjet) there was an option to pay for a shorter line.
- deleted 17y ago
  [deleted]
- patio11 17y ago
  You can buy your way out of the line at the gate (first class boards first, despite the fact that this is decidedly non-optimal from an operational perspective), but the security checkpoint is not at the gate. The gate line is managed by the airline and is primarily concerned with ensuring passengers get on the right plane. (They saved me from an impromptu trip to Seattle when I was to the JavaOne conference. International travel does strange things to the brain.) Another concern is earning the airline money through rigidly enforcing the class system. (+) The security line is managed by the TSA (an arm of the government) and its (stated) primary purposes are to ensure bad people and bad things do not get passed it. (+) I watched the 2nd to last person onto the plane get yelled at for going through the left priority boarding line when she was holding an economy ticket, and holding an infant to boot. They made her back up three feet and go through the economy boarding line. It someone could have telepathically read my thoughts they would have probably taken away my Vast Right Wing Conspiracy card.
- scotch_drinker 17y ago
  Southwest Airlines has priority lanes at the security checkpoint in several airports for their Business Select and A-List customers. You get to move to the front of the screening line if you pay for those tickets. This is exactly what Clear was doing without the stupid background check.

gojomo 17y ago

I'm for government adopting the same best practices as would private firms performing similar operations. When all the post-9/11 distortions finally work through the system, we might go back to a regime where many/most airports handled their own security, with private firms, but to federal standards.

Lagged2Death 17y ago

You shouldn't be able to pay the government to cut to the front of the line. Agreed, but did the government actually see any of the money collected by Clear?