Tag: Portland International Airport

CLEAR comes to PDX

ssegraves

CLEAR, the “secure identity company” that allows you to pay to bypass part of the security line, launched lanes at Portland International Airport on Friday —

Today, CLEAR (NYSE: YOU), the secure identity company, is launching its identity verification technology at Portland International Airport (PDX), bringing frictionless and predictable travel experiences to Oregon. CLEAR’s launch at PDX is expected to create 53 jobs and generate over $3 million annually in local economic impact.

 

We could get into CLEAR as a business and how it’s weird how they have to offer all of these extra services (AllTrails premium, etc.) but what I want to focus on is how unnecessary CLEAR is at PDX. Before Covid, I flew out of PDX every week and with PreCheck it never took me more than 10 minutes to get through security during the busiest time of day, 6:30am-9am. Maybe CLEAR benefits those who don’t have PreCheck but want to skip the long line for regular security?

Instead of bringing in CLEAR, I wish the Port of Portland and the TSA would have worked together to make sure the scanning machines were fully staffed during the busiest days and hours. That alone would save people tons of time.

This falls into one of those weird “privatization of a service that really shouldn’t even be a service” categories. Just make security better and we don’t need CLEAR.

PDX Carpet Making a Comeback

ssegraves

As part of the Portland International Airport modernization and expansion it has been announced that the old carpet will be making a return. From PDX Next:

Truth be told, we love it, too. More than a few of us have the shoe selfies to prove it. We can spot the carpet’s distinctive pattern from across the room, whether it’s on your socks, your keychain, or your T-shirt.

And so, we have a little good news: When the new main terminal opens in 2024, the old carpet is coming back to a few key spaces in the arrivals area.

And continues:

When the expansive, light-filled main terminal opens in 2024, you’ll find PDX’s iconic carpet in the pre-security “meet and greet” areas outside the security exits, along with a few other surprise locations we’ll share along the way.

So it won’t fill the airport again but will be in a few high traffic areas allowing people to get a little nostalgia and the obligatory photo. One small detail that is also noted is that the main areas of the terminal (security, shopping, etc.) will have terrazzo floors while gate areas and wings will have the current carpet.

Of course, the current carpet will remain in the concourses. And the areas of the main terminal that visitors travel through will have gray terrazzo floors—a smoother surface that’s easier for wheelchairs, assistive devices, and roller bags to navigate.

While I understand the use of carpet as a noise dampening agent in the gate areas, when you look at old photos of airports, including PDX, the solid surface floors are just so much nicer looking.

There are some awesome photos on the PDX Next website of the old Portland International Airport, including this gem:

Old Portland International Airport Terminal