Delta’s biometric boarding pilot lands in Detroit

Delta and U.S. Customs and Border Protection are launching an optional biometrics-based boarding test this month at Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW), building on key learnings from pilot projects at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and John F. Kennedy Airport.

Customers leaving from DTW gate A36 can choose to board the aircraft using facial recognition technology. Those participating passengers approach the camera, their image is captured, they get a confirmation receipt, and then they board their flight. If customers don’t want to participate they can board using their boarding pass or mobile phone instead.

“Expanding facial recognition boarding to this international gateway and Delta hub is a natural next step as we hone this boarding option in partnership with CBP,” explained Gil West, Delta’s COO. “This new phase will allow us to get even more feedback from customers and employees, and is another example of how Delta is delivering innovative experiences customers have come to expect from great brands.”

This test is currently underway on one flight daily and the new Delta One Suite. In the coming months, it will become an option for all international flights daily departing from that gate.

In March Delta announced that Delta Sky Club members with CLEAR membership can use their fingerprints to enter all U.S. Delta Sky Club locations.

Article Topics

airports  |  biometrics  |  Delta Airlines  |  facial recognition  |  passenger processing  |  pilot project