British Airways has started testing biometric
technology to process travellers on international flights.
The system enables those taking part in the trial
to travel through the airport ‘smartly’ without having to even
show their passport.
BA’s customers who sign up to take part in the
airline’s trial from London Heathrow Terminal 5 will be invited to
scan their face, passport and boarding pass on their smartphone or
tablet ahead of travel.
When trial participants arrive at the airport,
Smart Bio-Pod cameras verify their identity in under three
seconds, allowing them to keep their passport safely in their
pocket until they reach their destination.
“Not only is this the first time that
our customers have been able to register their biometric
information at home, but it’s the first time they can use it for
British Airways’ international flights,” said David Breeze,
Operations Transformation Manager for British Airways. “This is a
secure and efficient tool that makes for a smarter and smoother
airport experience, which will reduce the time it takes us to
board aircraft. The beauty of this technology is that it also
frees our people up to look after more complex customer enquiries
and deliver the best possible customer service.”
The trial will run for six months on British
Airways flights to Malaga, Spain.
Those who opt-in will be
invited to make use of the Fast-Track security lane and will
receive complimentary priority boarding.
The trial follows the introduction of automated biometric
technology on British Airways’ domestic flights in 2017, when the
carrier became the first UK airline to introduce the technology,
which records customers’ facial scans at Security and matches it
to them at the boarding gate. If the international flight trial is successful, it’s expected to be
extended to more international flights.
