Spoiler alert: This column has nothing to do with flooring. But it does have to do with something that could affect you one day. So strap in, kids, and get ready for your blood to boil.
Here’s the backdrop: We live in a capitalist society, right? Theoretically, we work hard and try to earn as much money as we can so we can have nice things and a nice life. It’s called the American Dream. Maybe we move to a nicer neighborhood with good schools and amenities for our kids. Maybe we want to drive around in a nicer car or take a nice vacation. Most of us want to put our kids through college. It’s simple: Make money, have better lives, maybe afford some perks.
As someone who gets on an airplane almost every week, one of the perks I enjoy at the airport is the line-skipping service Clear, which verifies passengers’ identities, allowing them to bypass TSA checkpoints. Clear affords me the ability to avoid the often nightmarish experience at security. At times it has saved me an hour. Air travel is unpleasant enough these days, so any advantage I can find is welcomed. It’s probably among the best $189 I’ve ever spent.
But because this is the world we live in, a couple of idiot politicians from California don’t like Clear. They say it’s unfair. They are introducing a bill that would ban Clear from airports because it raises equity issues. They say the expedited screening service effectively allows wealthier people to skip ahead of passengers waiting in line to be screened by the TSA agents. If this isn’t bizarro world, I don’t know what is.
The bill, SB-1372, the first of its kind in the U.S., would require third-party vendors like Clear to get their own dedicated security lane or lose the ability to operate in California. The service is in use at more than 55 airports across the U.S., as well as at dozens of sports stadiums and other venues. Members verify their identity at Clear kiosks.
State Sen. Josh Newman, a Democrat, is sponsoring the legislation, and it has bipartisan support from Republican Sen. Janet Nguyen. “It’s a basic equity issue when you see people subscribed to a concierge service being escorted in front of people who have waited a long time to get to the front of the TSA line,” Newman told CBS MoneyWatch. “Everyone is beaten down by the travel experience, and if Clear escorts a customer in front of you and tells TSA, ‘Sorry, I have someone better,’ it’s really frustrating.”
Nguyen, who sits on the transportation committee, added: “It becomes a haves vs. have-nots where those who can afford it jump in front of the rest of us. They even cut in front of TSA pre-boarding pass travelers who have been screened by the TSA.”
The six major airlines—Delta, United, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue and Hawaiian—are opposing the bill and wrote a letter to Senate Transportation Committee Chair Dave Cortese this month, arguing its passage would result in revenue losses. They wrote that the services were used more than 5 million times in California in 2023 and the bill “severely restricts airports’ ability to effectively manage lines at the security checkpoint, resulting in a negative travel experience for our California customers.”
Supporters of the bill include the union representing TSA officers in Oakland, Sacramento and San Jose. “Those who pay can skip the line at the direct expense of every other traveler,” said James Murdock, president of the TSA officer union’s local chapter. “While Clear may save time for its paying customers, non-customers suffer from… longer security queues while they enter an essential security screening process.”
Here are my thoughts: People make choices as to what to do with their disposable income. Some choose luxury, some choose convenience, some choose comfort. If people want to use their $189 on convenience, so be it! How is this different than a FastPass or Genie +/ Lightning Lane at Disney, where you pay a daily fee to essentially skip the line? A family of five can spend $125 a day for Genie+. Where’s the bill banning that?
Sometimes I pay more for my airline ticket so I can board before others. You know why? So I can ensure there is overhead space for my bag and not yours. If you choose not to pay, you can board in zone 37, gate check your bag and wait at the carousel when you land. That’s your problem, not mine. Are they going to ban that next?
Look, I am all for equality. There should never be discrimination based on race, color, gender, sexual preference, etc. But equality and equity are two different animals. And if you want to live in a world where you are unable to choose how to use your resources, well, see how that is working in Venezuela.
