Document-free checks launch at Vienna Airport with NEC biometrics

Airports in Vienna and Jakarta are deploying face biometrics to make passenger processes contactless and document-free, with NEC supplying the technology behind the former. Elsewhere in the sector IATA’s digital identity services are reaching further into the travel and tourism industry, and Vision-Box is opening a Centre of Excellence to serve the Asia-Pacific market.

Vienna Airport launches contactless boarding with NEC biometrics

Star Alliance Biometrics, powered by NEC’s I:Delight platform, have been deployed to Vienna Airport for Austrian Airlines passengers who are also members of the Miles & More benefits program to support paperless boarding procedures.

Contactless biometric devices have been installed in Terminal 3 of the hub airport, and the free service can also be used by passengers on Lufthansa and Swiss airlines flights at Vienna. The facial recognition service was already available at Munich and Frankfurt airports in Germany.

Passengers register through an app, and personal data stored is limited in scope, with for example no names included, the announcement notes.

IATA extends digital identity to travel sales

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has struck a deal to bring its digital identity program for travel agents to travel and tourism sales personnel in India, Travel Trends Today writes.

The Enterprising Travel Agent’s Association (ETAA) has agreed to promote the Travel Industry Designator Service (TIDS) Seller Identification Program to its over-800 members, allowing their bookings to be recognized by airlines, hotels, resorts, cruise lines, care rental companies and other travel and tourism service providers.

IATA has also launched a self-managed information portal for agencies to manage their profile and details.

The group has also released its Global Passenger Survey for 2021, which finds standing travelers are willing to share their biometric data to avoid standing in lines, Airways Magazine reports.

More than seven out of ten survey respondents told IATA they would use their biometrics to speed up airport processes, and 88 percent said they would share information ahead of time to expedite processing. Among the 36 percent who have used biometrics while traveling, 86 percent were satisfied with the experience.

Vision-Box launches Centre of Excellence in Malaysia

Vision-Box is launching a new Centre of Excellence in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which will be the company’s regional hub as it attempts to expand its Asia-Pacific presence.

The choice of Kuala Lumpur for the facility puts Vision-Box in close proximity with major clients Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad and AirAsia.

The hub will be used to provide support and maintenance for Vision-Box’s airport biometrics customers in the region.

Indonesian airport firm working on face biometrics

Indonesian state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II is developing a face biometrics system for contactless passenger processing at Soekarno-Hatta Airport in the Jakarta metropolitan area, Antara reports.

The first production deployment planned is for Security Checkpoint 2 of the airport’s Terminal 3 for domestic departures, replacing the presentation of physical documents. The facial recognition application is currently being trialed while it awaits approval from the Ministry of Transportation’s Aviation Security Directorate.

The biometric system will be supported by Angkasa Pura II’s ‘travelin’ mobile app for Android and iOS.

Full implementation at the airport is expected by the beginning of 2022, before being launched at other airports.

Article Topics

airports  |  Austria  |  biometrics  |  border management  |  digital identity  |  facial recognition  |  Indonesia  |  International Air Transport Association  |  Malaysia  |  NEC  |  Vision-Box