Acuity Principle Most calls 2019 critical tipping point for airport biometrics as “Fastlanes” expand

Dec 21, 2018 | Chris Burt

Categories Biometrics News | Border and Port Security

The coming year will be a “critical tipping-point” for airport biometrics, as passenger acceptance and operator commitment increase, according to Acuity Market Intelligence. Acuity forecasts airport biometric footprints will significantly expand beyond e-gates and kiosks to make “Fastlane Biometric” touchpoints for check-in, bag drop, security, and boarding gate processing mainstream during the year, as the market grows toward $1.3 billion per year in revenue by 2022.

The majority of current deployments are automated border control (ABC) e-gates and automated passport control (APC) kiosks, while fewer than 300 Fastlane Biometric units are used for check-in, bag drop, security, and boarding, according to Acuity’s Airport Biometric Facilitation Deployment List.

“Fastlane Biometrics is a nascent market with rapid growth potential,” says Acuity Market Intelligence Principal Maxine Most. “Today, about 5,600 biometric eGates and kiosks are deployed at more than 300 locations in 80 countries. This number is projected to triple by 2022 as dozens of prominent airports deploy Fastlane Biometrics over the next three to five years to streamline and enhance the customer journey.”

Acuity also forecasted early this year that the ABC market will grow by 10 percent CAGR over the next five years.

“Airports will set the standard for biometric facilitation,” Most says. “As the frequency of encountering Fastlane Biometrics increases, so too will consumer comfort and preference for the convenience of the experience. This will create opportunity – and significant demand — for similar solutions within, and well outside, the travel sector expediting and securing everything from cruise ships and car rental and ride-sharing services, to sports stadium and event center access.”

SITA recently estimated that overall airport IT spending grew to $10 billion in 2018, and the company’s research suggests that 74 percent of global airports plan to deploy biometric technology in some form by the end of 2021.