Charlotte Airport Puts CLEAR Security Plans on Hold While TSA Reviews Rules

Plans for new facial recognition scanners at Charlotte Douglas International Airport are now on pause. The airport waits as TSA works on fresh security guidelines. Meanwhile, CLEAR staff and city leaders keep talking about adding these quick-scan checkpoints.

CLEAR's spokesperson, Jarryd Davis, met with Charlotte's top brass this week. His talks with Mayor Pro Tem Danté Anderson and council members LaWana Mayfield and James Mitchell aimed to push the deal forward.

"In terms of CLEAR, we have been in constant communication with CLEAR," said airport CEO Haley Gentry to WSOCTV. "However, there is some federal rulemaking that is underway now through the TSA involving CLEAR. And so, while this federal rulemaking is going on, we have stepped back from the table to see what happens with this, so we are sure of any investment that we make with them because the rules are changing."

Ex-council member Tariq Bokhari joined the talks before starting his new job at the Federal Transit Administration last month. The group mixed in-person meetings with video calls over several months to hash out details.

These scanner talks fit into bigger changes at the airport. During an April budget meeting, Mayfield brought up the idea of adding CLEAR's tech to speed up security lines.

The NYSE-listed Clear Secure Inc. paid for Davis to visit Charlotte. Their tech promises quicker security checks through face scans instead of traditional ID checks.

The airport's wait-and-see approach shows smart planning. They won't rush to install new gear until they know it matches what TSA will allow. This careful stance might save time and money down the road.