This isn’t nearly expensive enough to dissuade the poors from using it. Just like TSA precheck isn’t expensive enough for that line to be just as long as the regular TSA line anymore.

This is not something new or unique. Lufthansa has an entire terminal solely for their international First class passengers at their Frankfurt hub. Private clubs/terminals/etc where you get taken to the plane via car instead of having to walk through the terminal is far more common then you seem to think.

Meanwhile, the actual rich people will continue to fly on their own jets and completely avoid TSA and the rest of the cattle call experience.

My very first thought also. Like a full half...

Also, Hot Woman, thank you for this!

Or they didn’t get permission from their parents to go out, so they don’t want to get grounded.

The most logical conclusion to which I arrived is that they recognize that facial recognition is A Thing and that pictures on the Internet never go away, so by hiding their faces they can hopefully prevent embarrassing questions in future job interviews.