Clear Air

Update 12/23/08: HotelChatter.com is reporting that Starwood is giving their top-tier Platinum Preferred Guests a free year membership to Clear Card. Glad to hear that travel companies are giving away perks instead of repealing them.

Air travel generally sucks especially when it comes to dealing with the security line. If you ever doubt the importance of providing a decent education to the masses, just observe the idiocy of your average passenger as they struggle with the basic concepts of how to go through a security check. Take out your laptop. Fluids need to be in a clear plastic bag. Take off your shoes and belt. Not exactly rocket science, yet these aholes still manage to somehow screw it up. One time I actually saw some jackass try to sneak on a liter of Pepsi on the plane. Awesome stuff. It's actually even worse for people like Crew Member Tandori who looks like a terrorist. I believe he receives a prostate exam as part of his personal screening process.

A company called Clear is trying to help frequent travelers avoid the clusterfuck of the security process with their Clear card, a little plastic card that contains your biometric information that enables you to fly through security via a specially designated Clear lane. While you still have to go through an Xray and metal screening check, you won't have to deal with all the amateur passengers who really should be traveling via Greyhound. The cost of the Clear membership is $199 per year ($348 for two years) and Clear access is available at various airports across the country including San Francisco and Dulles. Apply for your card at flyclear.com.