by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 4:33 PM ET, Mon March 26, 2018
Delta is launching a new biometric check-in option at all of its Sky Clubs across the country, making the airline the only U.S. based global carrier to offer such a high-tech approach to accessing its domestic lounges.
Biometric check-in, which involves using a fingerprint as identification, will be available to all Delta Sky Club members who are part of the CLEAR program, the airline said in a statement.
The program begins this week at all 50 U.S. Delta Sky Club locations.
"From unlocking our phones to entering the workplace, more and more people have the option to use biometrics as a form of identity verification for daily activities," Gil West, Delta's COO, said in a statement. "Having that option is quickly becoming an expectation that we are working hard to meet through this program."
The new technology offering is the result of the airline's new, broader, biometrics initiative - Delta Biometrics Powered by CLEAR.
The new check-in option at Sky Clubs nationwide will allow customers to skip the requirement of having a paper or mobile boarding pass, or a club membership card, in order to access the clubs.
Instead, the biometric check-in will verify customer identity when they place two fingers on a fingerprint reader.
For the past year, Delta has been conducting ongoing, biometric testing at various points in the traveler's airport experience including at boarding sites at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and bag drop sites at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport.
The airline also offers its SkyMiles members discounted rates for CLEAR membership, including complimentary memberships for Diamond Medallion members.
"Delta Biometrics and our work to make this kind of program available across Delta touch points is part of our ongoing commitment to finding secure, innovative solutions that actually improve the customer experience while giving our employees tools that help them engage more meaningfully with customers," West added. "We will continue to gauge employee and customer feedback to refine the offering, and evaluate additional touch points where biometrics can make travel seamless."
The program utilizes a new, enhanced scanner that was designed in response to employee and customer feedback during the testing phase.
Delta Biometrics and biometric check-in at Delta Sky Club are the latest examples of Delta's investments in applied innovation.
Over the past several years, Delta has launched a number of initiatives including replacing ID checks at touch points with fingerprint scanning, biometric-based self-service bag drop, RFID baggage handling, automatic check-in and bag tracking via the Fly Delta mobile app.
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