Triangle Trip

I have been using (Fly) Clear since mid-January 2009. My Clear membership has saved me on a couple of last minute to the airport, high blood pressure runs to the gate. The ability to skip the amateurs at the TSA security line is wonderful but it is not worth $199 per year. I was fortunate enough to get this year’s membership for free thanks to Starwood. Here are the reason why $199 is not worth it for any traveler:

1.  Clear is not available in major cities/airports – take a look at this list. How can Clear expect me or anyone to invest in them if they are not in the US’s #2, #3 and #4 cities. As a frequent commuter in and out of LAX, Clear is no where to be found. I have seen “coming soon” signs forever. Below is the latest screenshot from Clear’s website stating it will be at LAX by winter 2009.

Clear is also not in Chicago or Houston or Dallas which are huge hubs. I can use Clear to get into Candlestick Park but I cannot use it to get through LAX, ORD or DFW security. If I may also add that LAX TSA checkpoint is the worst in the nation. LAX security has limited space available to unpack your personal items before the checkpoint and repack your items after screening. LAX is also a top 5 worst airport in the US.

2.  Clear registration requires me to provide all sorts of personal data in exchange for skipping a line. Who are these people fooling? When I use Clear, the agent still requires me to show him/her my Clear ID and match me up against my fingerprint (for some, their retina). What’s the point of giving Clear my fingerprint when I have to provide an ID. Shouldn’t my fingerprint be tied to my ID?

3.  When you have airline status, skipping the TSA security line does not really help you much. The $199 membership fee is just too steep for business travelers with status. $199 a year definitely does not make sense for the casual travel. However, if Clear partners with the airlines to offer the following benefits to travelers without status: priority boarding, waiving baggage fee or getting a slightly better seat. Now that is a true value proposition. $199 per year to skip someone once awhile is just not worth it.

4.  Increase customer loyalty to gain adoption. I have not seen any referral programs or benefits for me to renew my membership. After what I have pointed out so far, I see no incentive for me to renew my membership when it ends this December.

We have just provided a month worth of free consulting to the Clear team via this post. I look forward to hearing from Clear management as this post can potentially save their company and jobs.

I’m a Delta Gold Medallion member and was running late for a 4:40 flight. I tried to check in via Delta’s mobile site but the site was going through some maintenance since it was over the weekend. I got to JFK at 4:12PM, just missing the kiosk 30 minute check in window. Instead of arguing with a machine, I thought I could just talk to someone at the Medallion desk as I was in Terminal 2.

I met up with an agent at the Medallion desk to explain to her my situation, and the first thing she said to me was: “did you know that you are late.” Then the agent said Delta has given up my seat and the next flight was sold out. I then asked her for a receipt of my original flight so I can get pass security to make the 4:40PM flight as it is parked 90 feet away once I clear security. I also told her I am a Clear member which allows me to skip the security line. Terminal 2 was empty. I may have skipped two people had I used my Clear card.

The agent refused to help until I calmly asked for a supervisor. The agent finally printed me a standby ticket for the 6:50PM flight and the time was 4:25PM. It took me nearly 15 minutes to get an agent to complete a task that takes 2 minutes at most.

I was able to breeze through security and got to the gate at 4:30PM. I went to talk to the gate agent who was calling standby passengers. He quickly gave me a seat and told me to board the plane. Unfortunately it was a middle seat but it saved me a few hours at the airport and having to deal with the standby list. Had the agent at the ticketing desk, I would have had a better seat.

While I was pleading my case with the ticketing agent, I also noticed another agent was telling another passenger the same story on the next counter. That passenger was trying to get a ticket printed for a 4:50PM flight and I believe he was a Gold Medallion as well.

I don’t understand Delta’s Medallion service desk at JFK. Here we have two Gold Medallion members trying to make a flight with a paid ticket and the flight is not full (as I got on). Instead of helping your loyal customers with status board the plane, Delta agents at JFK are looking for ways for the passengers to miss the flight and go on standby for a following flight which causes more work for the gate agents.

As a frequent traveler in and out of JFK using Delta, I have also noticed Delta ticketing agents at JFK likes to argue with passengers. I have seen multiple arguments between ticketing agents and passengers – over sized baggage, confirmation fees, etc. I had a similar experience with Delta’s LAX crew and the were very accommodating – I got to LAX at 12:10PM and boarded a 12:35PM flight without any issues. Delta management needs to take a hard look at its JFK crew and reprimand the staff. I have written letters to Delta customer service about my experience but only got a standard reply. I will escalate this to senior management to ensure action is taken. I urge everyone spend some time to do the same. It is the only way to be heard. We all must keep in mind that there are still choices for air travel. If you fly 50,000 miles a year in this economy with an airline, they should take notice and respect your input.

As a frequent commuter from JFK to LAX, I just received an email from ghetto Delta telling me they have moved all JFK to LAX flights from Terminals 2 or 3 to Terminal 4. Terminal 4 is one of the worst terminals in JFK and Northworst departs from that terminal. I guess ghetto Delta and Northworst merger is taking shape.

Although I have not flown from JFK to LAX on Terminal 4 but I can image it can be a nightmare if Delta has to switch out an aircraft. If there are gate changes on my flight, I would have to go take the inefficient JFK Airtrain then through security again in Terminal 2 or 3 as they are not connected to Terminal 4. I am wondering which operations genius at Delta thought of this change.

On a brighter note, Fly Clear is supposedly available in Terminal 4 as well. I will be flying from JFK to LAX in March. Look forward to updating y’all on my experience.