Emirates Airlines biometric boarding with veriScan at Dulles reaches full operation

Emirates Airlines has begun using biometric facial recognition technology developed by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority for boarding passengers on its Dubai-bound flights from Washington Dulles International Airport.

Passengers use the veriScan system to board their flight with a streamlined verification process that does not require them to show a passport or boarding pass, according to an announcement from the Authority, and also satisfies the Biometric Exit mandate of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

“The veriScan system has become a critical tool for our airline partners as we work to enhance safety, efficiency and convenience at the airport,” says Goutam Kundu, vice president and chief information officer for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. “By incorporating one-step biometric boarding capabilities, Emirates has demonstrated a commitment to providing a more convenient airport experience for passengers and a willingness to embrace innovation to better serve its operational needs.”

Emirates piloted veriScan on a limited basis in May, and has now implemented it for all passengers departing Dulles. Boarding times for its 525-seat Airbus A380, the largest passenger aircraft in operation, according to the announcement, have been cut by approximately 20 minutes.

“We are delighted to be collaborating with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority to deploy a one-step biometric boarding experience for Emirates customers at Dulles International Airport,” said Adrian Aliaj, airport services manager for Emirates at Washington Dulles International Airport. “We believe that a memorable journey begins with a seamless experience on the ground, and with this technology, we not only greatly improve the traveler experience at the airport but also enhance the efficiency of our operations.”

veriScan was launched in September of last year to support CBP’s Biometric Exit, while reducing customer screening to less than two seconds per person. Since then, 34 airlines including United Airlines, Air France-KLM, Scandinavian Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Cathay Pacific have adopted the biometric technology.

Biometric Exit is a major driver of airport biometrics adoption, as several industry stakeholders discussed with Biometric Update in a recent deep-dive into the topic.

Article Topics

airports  |  biometric exit  |  biometrics  |  facial recognition  |  MWAA  |  passenger processing  |  veriScan