The TSA's Plan to Require More Clear Users to Show ID at Airports Is Delayed
The rule was originally implemented for security reasons last month.
Clear users might now sigh in relief. The Transportation Security Administration is backpedaling and rolling back its plans to require more Clear users to show proof of ID.
Just last month, TSA announced that, for security purposes, it would require an increasing number of Clear members to submit proof of identification to an agent instead of bypassing the step completely.
Before the new rule was announced, all Clear users were able to confirm their identity via either iris scan or fingerprint at provided Clear kiosks. This allowed members to skip TSA security lines and interaction with an agent, instead being escorted directly to the screening area. With the July rules, instead, more Clear users would have needed to add the agent interaction into the mix, where they'd need to show their ID and boarding pass. The reason for the change was, in fact, increased security.
"TSA is responsible for ensuring that all systems and programs, including those provided by private companies, meet requisite standards and will take necessary steps to ensure security needs are met," a TSA spokesperson told The Points Guy in a statement. "Accurate and reliable verification of passenger identity is foundational to aviation security and effective screening by TSA."
Now, however, the TSA is taking a step back. Instead of requiring all Clear members to show proof of ID, TSA has now announced that it would require a smaller batch of Clear users to undergo additional identity verification instead of all travelers, the Washington Post reports. Both Clear and TSA confirmed the change to The Points Guy.
However, it is reportedly only a matter of time before all Clear members will need to show proof of identification, as the process is only delayed for now.
"All Registered Traveler participants will be required to present ID, whether physical or digital, to TSA's Credential Authentication Technology (CAT), with the timeline for implementation to be determined," said a TSA spokesperson, according to The Points Guy.