The Transportation Security Administration is projecting that it will charge $30 a year to cover its costs for each person who wants to enroll in a registered traveler program.
TSA had earlier announced that its fees could approach the $100 range, leading to protests from RT vendors, such as Verified Identify Pass Inc. Verified yesterday announced it was lowering the price for enrollment in its Clear RT program from $79.95 to $69.95 in order to keep the total cost for enrollees under $100.
“We want the pricing to be simple and appeal to a broad group of frequent fliers, not just elite fliers,” Verified/Clear CEO Steven Brill said in a press release. “And saying simply that the price will be $99.95 and that we’ll absorb the TSA fees, as well as any other fees such as shipping and handling of the cards, is the way to do that.”
TSA is still in the process of finalizing standards for the Registered Traveler program, including those for identity cards passengers would use to get through security lines. Once those standards are finalized, which should occur in the next 30 to 60 days, registered traveler programs are expected to be rolled out in as many as 20 airports around the country.
