German Airport To Implement Passenger Face Scanning

By launching Europe's first universal biometric check-in system, Frankfurt Airport intends to significantly reduce passenger wait times.

Waiting in line to check in and board a flight is a known source of frustration for many people. However, one German airport plans to drastically cut down on passenger wait times, as in the coming months, passengers flying out of Frankfurt Airport will be able to take use of biometric check-in.

Passengers on Lufthansa and other Star Alliance airlines (including United, Air China, and Air India) may already take advantage of the face recognition services.

But now, everyone flying out of Frankfurt may use face recognition at the airport's check-in kiosks.

By implementing Europe's first universal biometric check-in system, Frankfurt Airport intends to significantly reduce passenger wait times.

Fraport, which operates the airport, has announced that passengers flying on any airline may sign up in advance to use the time-saving system. Passengers no longer need to wait in line at a counter while their identification is verified in order to board a plane.

Secure pre-flight registration is available via the Star Alliance biometric app for mobile devices, or passengers may use their biometric passports at the check-in kiosk. The time required to complete registration is minimal. Then, instead of showing ID, they'll only have their faces scanned at checkpoints.

Known as the "Smart Path," the program is utilized by more than 12,000 passengers every day at the airport's check-in and boarding areas.

According to Pierre Dominique Prümm, member of the Fraport Executive Board, the objective "is to equip at least 50 per cent of all check-in machines as well as boarding pass control and departure gates with this groundbreaking technology in the next few months."

Passengers with a Miles & More card from Star Alliance may have their biometric information stored permanently, whereas all other passengers must register using temporary ID credentials for each journey they take. According to Sita, the firm supplying the technology, all personal data would be deleted three hours after the scheduled departure time of the aircraft.

Other large German airports, including as Hamburg and Munich, have also implemented the biometric technology, but exclusively for customers flying with Lufthansa and Star Alliance.

 

Source: euronews.com