Korean Air introduces biometric self boarding on domestic flights

Korean Air has introduced biometric self-boarding services for the first time in Korea with domestic passengers passing through boarding gates at Gimpo Airport with only a scan of their palms. The palm vein scan will allow the airline to immediately check the passenger’s identification and boarding pass information without checking a paper or mobile boarding pass. The airline said that the palm scanning device recognizes the passenger by matching their pre-registered palm vein information, which is unique to each person. Palm vein biometric information, which cannot be stolen, duplicated or lost, is expected to increase efficiency and strengthen the security of the identity verification process, and significantly reduce flight boarding times the airline said. The service is eligible to Korean citizens seven years of age or older. To use the biometric self-boarding service, passengers need to register their palm vein information at the self-registration desk on the departure floor of Gimpo Airport, which can be done upon presenting an ID card and providing consent to the use of their personal information. Since August last year, Korean Air has partnered with Korea Airports Corporation and cooperated on the system buildup and testing required to launch the biometric self-boarding service. The airline said it plans to expand the service to all domestic route departure gates at Gimpo Airport by the end of the year, and to Busan Gimhae Airport in August this year. Korean Air is actively introducing biometric information-based technologies, the core of IATA’s One ID initiative, such as through the offering of facial recognition services provided by overseas airports authorities in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, and Singapore. One ID is an integrated identification initiative using passengers’ biometric information to achieve interoperable system coordination between airports, airlines, and governments around the world. Korean Air plans to provide a more far more convenient experience to customers by expanding biometric self-boarding services domestically as well as to international flights.