While the U.S. travel industry discusses how to alleviate lawmakers’s fears about airport biometrics, an airport in Naples starts facial recognition experiments that could lead to wider pilots.
Clear, Idemia and Delta show off biometric travel solutions
U.S. airports have been steadily streamlining their operations with the help of biometric technologies. Companies creating travel biometrics solutions, however, are still facing plenty of challenges.
“The government just isn’t going to move as fast as the private sector moves,” Brian Worth, vice president of Federal Affairs at Clear told audiences at the Future of Travel Mobility conference in Washington this week.
One of the bigger issues, however, is the lack of unified government standards related to biometrics and digital identity, not just in the airport space but broader identification, he adds. The solution is to collaborate with government agencies like the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
In 2023, TSA screened a record 858 million passengers. In the future, the need for smooth travel will only grow. This brings airports to a conundrum of prioritizing national security while maintaining efficiency, seamlessness and speed, according to Stephen Williams, head of North America Government Relations at Idemia.
“I think biometrics is the solution for that,” he says.
Some lawmakers, however, are still looking at biometric technology with suspicion. Last week, a bipartisan group of senators sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), demanding an investigation into the TSA’s use of facial recognition technology.
“I think it’s important for us to build trust,” says Idemia’s Williams. The industry should alleviate concerns, including those about algorithmic bias, he adds.
The travel industry has public opinion on its side: A survey conducted by the U.S. Travel Association and Ipsos found that nearly 80 percent of travelers support biometric technology at airports. The main reason for this support is convenience, according to Delta Air Lines’ Director of Government Affairs Melissa Alvarado.
Delta customers can use their Delta Digital ID to access the TSA PreCheck Touchless ID lane at security checkpoints, allowing them to pass by looking into a camera and without presenting a government-issued ID. The digital ID enables travelers to move through security checkpoints around 60 percent faster than standard TSA PreCheck customers while bag drops are nearly 75 percent faster compared to standard ones.
The technology was first introduced in 2021 in Atlanta. Following the launch at Salt Lake City last month, Delta plans to introduce Digital ID and TSA PreCheck Touchless ID at Ronald Reagan Airport in Washington DC.
Other companies are also advancing their tech.
Last week, Clear launched a new version of its EnVe Pods. The terminal allows passengers to complete enrollment and verification five times faster by skipping scanning fingerprints and irises and only scanning faces. The technology is available at Clear Lanes at 12 airports with plans to roll out across all 58 airports during 2025.
Idemia’s Credential Authentication Technology (CAT-2) machines are also reaching new areas with the TSA deploying the identity verification technology at five Montana airports last month. The company is also working with the Department of Defense (DOD) on access control technology and plans to launch more access technology in January at the CES conference in Las Vegas.
Earlier this month Idemia’s Public Security division and SITA, announced they are collaborating on a decentralized trust network to increase interoperability in the sector.
Biometric travel system launched at Naples airport
Across the Atlantic, European airports are also pushing biometric travel solutions.
Last week, Naples Capodichino Airport introduced a facial recognition system for passengers on Lufthansa flight LH 335 to Frankfurt. The technology allows passengers to register at the Face Pass kiosk and access biometric pathways at security checkpoints and the boarding gate.
The technology is provided by airport technology provider SITA.
The facial recognition pilot could lead to large-scale implementation at other airports, says Roberto Barbieri, CEO of GESAC (Gestione Servizi Aeroporti Campani) which manages the Naples International Airport and the Salerno-Pontecagnano airport.
SITA spells out reasons to switch to DTC
SITA and its partner Indicio have been developing their own solution for seamless travel, a Digital Travel Credential (DTC) that allows passengers to create a digital version of their physical passport that meets International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
The company says that its DTC can help solve problems such as fraud, customer rewards and inadmissible travelers, known as INADs.
Fraudsters are attempting to exploit loopholes in airlines’ systems by earning money from refunds through loyalty accounts for canceled flights, hacking loyalty accounts, fraudulent claims for lost or damaged baggage and setting up fake ticket booking platforms masquerading as legitimate airline websites.
SITA says its DTC can reduce opportunities for fraud thanks to decentralized identity which provides authenticity verification. Airlines can also benefit by issuing and verifying travel documents without integrating with third-party systems. The SITA Digital Travel solution can be integrated into an airline’s mobile app.
The DTC can also help airlines from traditional miles-based awards to alternative offerings. Instead of just giving points to passengers who have flown the largest distances, the airline can ensure rewards go to the most loyal customers. This can be achieved by linking customers’ airline accounts to their digital identities.
Finally, DTC can be a solution for INADs, inadmissible travelers banned from entering the country due to various reasons, including invalid documents, visa overstays, security concerns, criminal records and insufficient funds.
Although INADs represent less than 1 percent of passengers, they can lead to hefty fines for airlines. Governments make it the airline’s responsibility to ensure that all passengers have valid travel documents and visas before boarding the flight.
Many countries are introducing pre-clearance requirements as well as Electronic travel authorizations (ETAs) and eVisas to avoid INADs. SITA says that it successfully demonstrated how a government can integrate an ICAO DTC into its pre-clearance process in Aruba.
Article Topics
airports | biometrics | contactless biometrics | Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) | digital travel | face biometrics | passenger processing | SITA
