Australia faces up to quicker border control

Facing border control is about to get easier in Australia thanks to a cutting-edge initiative that uses people’s faces. The Australian government is rolling out facial recognition technology that will mean some travelers willing to register for trials will be able to get through border control without brandishing their passport. It's part of a three-year contract, valued at $A22.5m, to upgrade biometric technology so it can be used to clear passengers at Australia’s international airports and allow them to "self-process". READ: Airlines ramp up biometrics at US airports. Trials will start at Canberra Airport in April and the nation’s busiest airport, Sydney, expects to have a pilot up and running in May. Sydney Airport is rolling out the system in collaboration with the Australian Border Force and Qantas. Sydney already has electronic SmartGates that have reduced the time it takes to go through the outbound immigration process from more than four minutes to an average of 23 seconds. But Sydney Airport chief executive Geoff Culbert said the new technology would “leapfrog” this with biometrics technology that had the potential to completely revolutionize a passenger’s journey through the entire airport. He said this facial recognition technology would allow registered passengers to go through every step in the process — from using their smartphone while sitting on their couch to boarding through the gate — ”without ever having to get your passport out of your pocket”. “This is going to make for a faster, less stressful journey for all of our customers who get involved in the trial,’’ he said. “There’ll be no more fumbling for your passport and boarding pass at each step of the process while you’re trying to wrangle bags and kids. “Instead, your face will be your passport, and your boarding pass, at every stage of the journey, which is really exciting.”

Pointing to the above graphic of the process, Culbert said the plan was to have all six steps live and active by the end of the year for Qantas passengers who wanted to be part of the trial. “So this is going to be a world-leading experience for our customers passing through Sydney Airport and we’re really excited about it,’’ he said. The government announced the tech boost in 2017 when it signed the contract with Vision-Box Australia. Australian Immigration and Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton said at the time the project was another step toward “contactless traveler” processing. “Australia is committed to being a world leader in the use of biometrics at our border to facilitate legitimate travel, protect our community and prevent the activities of potential terrorists and criminals,” Dutton said.