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Perfectly 'Clear'

By Tom Ramstack
February 12, 2008

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (above) and Washington Dulles International Airport began accepting the Clear card yesterday in an effort to expedite passage through security checkpoints.

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Frequent fliers started getting their eyes and fingerprints scanned at two Washington-area airports yesterday for a fast track through security checkpoints.

Passengers now can have their fingerprints and irises digitally encoded into a Registered Traveler card at airport enrollment stations.

The card allows them to pass through special lanes at security checkpoints for faster access to flights at Washington Dulles International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

The Registered Traveler program at the two airports is administered by Verified Identity Pass Inc. in cooperation with the Transportation Security Administration and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. The New York company calls the program and card "Clear."

Steven Brill, chief executive officer of Verified Identity Pass, said airports are just the beginning for the security cards. He envisions a much larger role for them to gain entry to government buildings, sports stadiums and other sites that use security checkpoints.

"Airports are the first, most visible instance of this," Mr. Brill said.

Dulles and Reagan airports are the 14th and 15th airports to get the Clear cards. Orlando International Airport was the first, beginning in the summer of 2005.

Thurgood Marshall Baltimore-Washington International Airport officials are considering adopting a Registered Traveler program, a spokesman said yesterday.

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