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Air New Zealand passengers were last week among the first to use facial recognition to pass through the boarding gate at LAX.
Prior to entering the US, customers were able to register with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) using their ‘biometric information’, which was not shared with the airline.
This was then used to verify their identity at automated airport kiosks at the airport.
Air New Zealand’s chief digital officer Nikhil Ravishankar said, “We’ve heard from customers that they want their airport experience to be hassle-free, and technology is a key enabler of that. According to IATA, more than 75 per cent of customers see huge value in biometric verification and want to use it instead of passports and boarding passes.
“The feedback from the more than 1,000 customers who have used this technology to board our flights has been really positive.”
“Contactless technology changes are coming thick and fast, and we’re continuing to learn and adapt to new innovations that will make travel easier. In the new travel era, we need simplicity not complexity.”
Air New Zealand customers will next be able to use the tech in San Francisco, followed by the airline’s other US airports.
Australian Aviation reported last month how passengers travelling on selected Singapore Airlines flights from Perth could now use facial recognition technology in place of a traditional boarding pass.
The futuristic tech also eliminates the need for a passport check at both the bag drop and boarding gate, which the business hopes will reduce delays.
It follows the airport recently converting 16 conventional check-in counters at the T1 international terminal into 36 self-check-in kiosks, alongside adding 16 more ‘auto bag drops’. Each of these new systems has biometric processing capabilities.
Perth Airport CEO Kevin Brown said in October that the new technology would both enhance security and speed up passenger processing.
“The passenger experience is paramount, and this technology will allow us to serve more passengers to a higher standard, supporting the growth of our airport,” said Brown.
The trail seeks volunteer passengers to check in at one of the biometric kiosks. The kiosks will ask the passenger to create a biometric token that verifies their booking details, facial image and passport.
When the passenger moves to the auto bag drop, they will be identified with facial recognition, removing the need for a physical boarding pass.
The same will happen when the passenger boards the aircraft, a facial recognition camera will confirm their identity.
