In an effort to speed up, simplify and digitalize the airport experience, Lufthansa Group has announced that it will use biometric boarding procedures at LAX.
The pilot program has been made possible through Lufthansa's IT partner, Amadeus, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, Los Angeles World Airports Authority (LAWA) and Vision Box, and it uses facial recognition to screen passengers.
Self-boarding gates capture passengers' facial images as they approach the device. Then, the image is securely sent to the CBP database for real-time matching and verification. After a successful, instantaneous match, the system recognizes the passenger as "boarded" and there is no need for a boarding pass at the gate.
As passenger volumes increase, the need to speed up procedures and eliminate crowding is becoming more of a priority. Biometrics are a key element in ensuring passenger safety while making boarding and security processes more efficient.
"The increasing need for airlines, airports and authorities to offer faster and more convenient processes for guests to move through the airport creates a unique opportunity for the use of biometrics," said Bjoern Becker, senior director, product management ground and digital services for Lufthansa. "Lufthansa strives to enhance the customer experience by applying advanced technologies and innovative solutions. This is a further step towards achieving that goal."
In the U.S., there is no need for airlines to create or maintain a biometric database as the CBP already provides that data.
"CBP is excited to work with air travel industry partners like Lufthansa to demonstrate how facial biometrics can provide a range of traveler benefits for a secure and seamless passenger experience," said John Wagner, deputy executive assistant commissioner, office of field operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Amadeus, which is the provider of Lufthansa's Passenger Service System (Altéa), worked with the airline to develop the biometric enhancement.
"Biometric boarding has enormous potential to make the travel experience easier and less stressful," said Guido Haarmann, managing director, Central and Eastern Europe, Airlines, Amadeus.
"Last year, more than 1.6 billion passengers boarded planes using Amadeus Altéa technology. Amadeus' mission is to develop technology that creates better journeys for travelers worldwide, and it is a pleasure to be working with our established partner Lufthansa to bring this innovative technology to market."
Following Lufthansa's successful LAX trial, the airline will introduce biometrics boarding at other U.S. airports nationwide.
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