US carriers are increasingly looking at biometric security as a way of ferreting out the bad guys without annoying customers.
The latest such passenger-friendly set-up is slated to be rolled out progressively by US low-cost carrier JetBlue this June.
Tests start at Boston Logan International, on JetBlue’s nonstop to Aruba’s Queen Beatrix International. JetBlue contends this is the first initiative of its kind for a U.S. airline.
Here’s how it works. Passengers who opt in look into a camera that’s connected to a United States Customs and Border Protection (CPB) database.
Then the image is matched to their passport, visa or immigration photograph.
There's no need for a boarding pass and, in theory, the security layer gets stronger and while the inconvenience diminishes.
“We hope to learn how we can further reduce friction points in the airport experience,” says Joanna Geraghty, JetBlue’s executive vice president of customer experience. The boarding pass piece of the security is “one of the hardest to solve. Self-boarding eliminates boarding pass scanning and manual passport checks.”
This is very much a test, not something that you can expect next week at the airfield near you.
But its potential clearly has security officials excited about the possibilities.
“By transforming current business operations,” says CPB Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner John Wagner. “Airlines and airports will have the opportunity to use verified biometrics to ensure a seamless and consistent process for travelers.”
“Seamless” is one of the most overused terms in the travel industry today, but if information technology provider SITA’s system lives up to the prospect of truly “seamless” boarding then this small step in Boston will bring huge benefits for flyers and airlines alike.
Also using biometrics is a new Delta Air Line initiative that will allow passengers to use fingerprints to check bags, enter a lounge and board an aircraft.
The testing ground in this instance is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and phase one allows Delta SkyMiles members to forego a paper or mobile boarding pass and hard copy ID in favor of using fingerprints to enter the Delta Sky Club.
A second phase will expand that the bag check-in and boarding a flight.
“We’re rapidly moving toward a day when your fingerprint, iris or face will become the only ID you’ll need for any number of transactions throughout a given day,” says Delta chief operating officer Gil West.
Delta is working with CLEAR systems on the project and hopes ultimately to have fingerprint readers at all boarding gates.
Have questions or want to share your thoughts?
