In Aruba, KLM passengers flying to Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport can complete the entire check-in and boarding process with just one passport check and without a physical ticket. A recent trial at Boston Logan Airport, in partnership with JetBlue and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), allowed hands-free boarding for flights to Aruba. JetBlue is now expanding this process to flights from Boston to Santiago, Dominican Republic. Singapore’s Changi Airport has also implemented a state-of-the-art system in their new Terminal 4, utilizing biometric facial recognition technology for self-service options at check-in, bag drop, immigration, and boarding. These innovative airport systems are all made possible through the use of biometric technology, where passengers have their photo taken and their face is checked against their e-passport or an airline’s passenger manifest. This eliminates the need for manual identity checks and speeds up the airport process. In the case of the Aruba-Amsterdam route, biometric data collected at check-in is used to automatically verify identities at various points throughout the airport, making the face the only form of identification needed. This trend is expected to continue and expand globally, reducing wait times, increasing efficiency, and decreasing the need for airport staff. While some privacy concerns have been raised about the use of facial recognition technology, advocates argue that it will ultimately improve the airport experience for passengers. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reports that 64% of passengers are in favor of biometric identification systems, and 25% of airlines and 29% of airports plan to implement single-token biometric identity management systems by 2020. While there are still regulatory challenges to overcome, partnerships between airlines, airports, and governments are working towards a secure and trusted international standard for the use of facial recognition technology in air travel.
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