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New Technology At Detroit Metro Airport Allows Travelers To Move Through Security Lines In A Flash

ROMULUS (WWJ) - Metro Detroit Airport now has  a new way to allow people to move seamlessly through airport security.

It's called CLEAR and it's now in operation at the airport's McNamara Terminal. Certified as a "qualified anti-terrorism technology" by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, CLEAR has been used more than five million times to move travelers quickly through airport security lines at 16 other airports.

"They validate their identity using a knowledge-based quiz, they use a government identification that's validated using technology, and then we link it to their bio-metrics -- we take 10 fingerprints with a digital reader, we take a scan of their iris, and we take a high-res photo of their face," said CLEAR spokesperson David Cohen.

Cohen said the initial sign-up process takes about five minutes and after that, getting through security lines should be a breeze. He said there are special lines for CLEAR customers that can be a great time-saver for travelers, who will still have to pass through X-Rays and body scans.

"Our customers go through the TSA security process in minutes. They come to a CLEAR lane, that lane is going to be open and available for them to validate their identity on the spot, a process in itself that takes less than a second," he said.

Membership to use CLEAR costs $179 per year. New members who enroll at the airport receive a one-month free trial and can use CLEAR immediately.

Airport officials they plan to install the CLEAR system at the North Terminal in the future.

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