The development of technologies is not standing still, and the transformation of biometric boarding is not an exception. Through optimised boarding and air travel, facial recognition or fingerprint scanning reduces wait times and enhances security measures. This means the verification of identity cards and boarding passes is no longer part of the required list of checks because all passenger data is already available in the required airports’ databases. However, a lot of people still hesitate about the decision to implement this system for permanent use and worry about privacy.
The Process of Biometric Boarding
Biometric boarding is an automatic passenger identification system using new technologies.
The process involves several steps:
- Biometric data of passengers are captured and stored during check-in. Usually, it is facial recognition and fingerprints.
- The data is used to verify the identity of the passenger, not only during check-in but also during the flight. This is critical during the boarding when the system compares the person with the previously collected information about them.
This way, passengers spend much less time on check-in and do not depend on boarding passes, while employees prevent identity fraud situations and minimize human errors.
Airports Implementing Biometric Boarding
Some major airports have introduced biometric boarding innovations to expedite services and improve the customer journey. One of the first was Singapore Chandi Airport, which initially implemented biometric boarding at Terminal 4 in 2017 and continues to implement it in other terminals now. As a result, the airport has benefited from high safety standards and an accelerated boarding process.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) introduced biometric electronic gates for face recognition in 2017. Without the necessity to show physical boarding passes, passengers moved faster, improving the efficiency of the airport and feeling more satisfied during the trip.
Privacy Concerns
Biometrics technology has many advantages, but collecting and storing confidential biometric data continues to worry travellers. However, there have been no serious incidents related to the offence against use of personal data. There is a General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that establishes strict rules for the use and storage of personal data of each individual. It requires airports and airlines to have reliable security measures, limited data storage and encryption. These safeguards assist in combining the benefits of speedier, safer travelling with the requirement of protecting visitors’ privacy rights.
Power of Biometric Boarding
Biometric boarding is certainly changing passenger service at airports for the better. Thanks to new technologies, people can feel more comfortable every year during travel.
What are your thoughts on biometric boarding? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
