Fri, Oct 02, 2009
But $199 Security Pass May Be Returning To Airports
For frequent travelers, it was a very attractive. Pay $199,
submit to fingerprinting and an iris scan, and skip the long
security lines as some airports around the country. Verified
Identity Pass, a company founded by entrepreneur Steven Brill, made
the offer and convinced some 200,000 customers to sign up for the
service.
Then, last June, the company said it was ceasing operations and
did not have the money to offer refunds. It was back in the line
for those passengers.
The New York Times is reporting that Emeryville California
investment banker Kurtis Fechtmeyer said on Tuesday that his new
investment group, Henry Inc., will buy the assets of V.I.P. and
re-open the security express lane called "Clear". “People are
still desperate for convenience at security checkpoints, and the
government is very interested in having more registered travelers
whose identities are verified,” he said. “There is
still strong demand for this service.”
V.I.P had become the focus of a string of controversies, and
Brill was eventually forced out of the company and sued by
investors. But even many of those who lost money say they would
return to the service should it be re-instated. Former airport
partners are also very interested in the service. Fechmeyers' wife,
Allison Townley, who is also a principal in Henry Inc. said some
airports have said "you can't open soon enough."
The Times reports that renewed interest in Clear has also
sparked renewed interest in a TSA pre-clearance program, which was
the subject of a House Homeland Security subcommittee hearing
Wednesday. Ms. Townley was scheduled to testify.
Fechmeyer said for those former members who choose not to sign
up with the new company, their personal data currently on file
would be destroyed.
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