A new bill proposed in California could put an end to the practice of paying to skip security lines at airports. According to ABC7, the bill, proposed by Democratic state Senator Josh Newman targets third-party security screening companies like CLEAR.
CLEAR is a service that allows people to pay a yearly fee of $189 to verify their identity at a kiosk at the airport. After verification, a CLEAR ambassador escorts the customer past the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security lines. This service is currently available at around 50 airports across the U.S., including major California airports in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco.
Newman's bill, SB-1372, would require companies like CLEAR to operate their own dedicated security lines, separate from the general public and TSA PreCheck members. Newman believes this would create a better flow of traffic and reduce frustration for travelers.
"It's a basic equity issue when you see people subscribed to a concierge service being escorted in front of people who have waited a long time to get to the front of TSA line," Newman said. "Everyone is beaten down by the travel experience, and if Clear escorts a customer in front of you and tells TSA, 'Sorry, I have someone better,' it's really frustrating."
However, the bill has been met with opposition from major airlines, including Delta, United, and Alaska, all of which have partnerships with CLEAR. These airlines argue that the bill could increase operating costs and potentially lead to higher airfares.
Despite the opposition, the bill has support from the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) and the union representing Transportation Security Officers in Oakland, Sacramento, and San Jose.
The bill is set to go before the California State Senate's transportation committee on Tuesday. If it passes there, it would have to go through several more steps before reaching Governor Gavin Newsom's desk.