Clear, the security screening company, has started testing new electronic gates at three U.S. airports: Oakland International Airport (OAK), Oklahoma City's Will Rogers World Airport (OKC), and Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) in South Carolina. These trials are available to those with a Clear Plus membership.
The new gates aim to streamline the screening process by allowing passengers to self-screen using their boarding passes, while plans for future integration of biometric verification are in development. After passengers have scanned their boarding passes and the gate turns green, they can proceed to biometric verification, assisted by Clear agents if needed. Verified passengers are directed to the front of the security line for baggage screening.
At present, the gates provide a more efficient entry to Clear lanes. "What you're seeing evolving today is the efforts of many years of innovation ... and collaboration and partnership with the TSA," said Kyle McLaughlin, executive vice president of travel and aviation at Clear. He further added, "We're investing heavily in e-gates and lane automation technology to be able to scan your boarding pass and automate the entry portion of the Clear lane."