Canadian airports, airline council wants national biometrics policy

Nearly 70 percent of travelers would consider using a biometric gateway, according to recent research. This type of support is likely to encourage even more digitalization in air travel as Canada, Russia, India, Pakistan and Taiwan move towards digital IDs and biometrics.

Canada air industry calls for digital ID and biometrics regulations

Canadian airport and airline organizations have called on the government to introduce regulations that would allow digital IDs and biometrics in air travel.

The groups also want to see a national biometrics policy that would include privacy protections and technology standards. This includes amending federal regulations to enable the use of biometrics in the delivery of government services to Canadians and a standardized digital identity.

The recommendations were submitted by the Canadian Airports Council (CAC), which represents over 100 airports, during the government’s annual pre-budget consultations, which concluded in August. The National Airlines Council of Canada and five Canadian airports are also backing the strategy, according to The Logic.

“Capturing data, managing data, storing the data and distributing the data is not covered in today’s regulatory environment,” John Gradek, McGill University lecturer and former Air Canada executive, told the business news outlet.

For Canadian airports to introduce the technology, the government would need to amend the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) Act to allow security officers to verify passengers’ identities. The Secure Air Travel Regulations (SATR) would need to ensure digital IDs are recognized, while the NEXUS program should be phased out in favor of solutions that follow international standards such as digital travel credentials, the CAC says in its submission.

Among other CAC recommendations is appointing a Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation who would lead a national digital strategy for air travel.

Canadian airports have been slow to offer travellers a full biometric check-in and boarding experience, even though many airports have installed the required equipment. Despite this, the government has been moving in this direction with  CATSA working on pilot projects and standards and the Canadian Border Services Agency testing facial recognition algorithms.

In 2023, CATSA launched the Verified Traveller Program for screening eligible travelers at select airports across Canada, replacing the previous Trusted Traveller Program. The government also launched the Air Right Touch initiative, connecting the digital systems used by airports, airlines, the CATSA, and the Canadian Border Services Agency, to provide a more seamless passenger experience.

Russia promises biometric tech at airports despite sanctions

The Russian Transport Ministry is planning to roll out biometric technology for check-in and boarding at airports.

The rollout is a result of an agreement between the Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of Digital Development, the country’s largest airline Aeroflot and the Center for Biometric Technologies (CBT), which operates the national Unified Biometric System (UBS).

“A unified biometric system is becoming the foundation for a new level of service in transport,” Minister of Transport Andrey Nikitin said in a Telegram post. “Today, such solutions are already in use in the metro systems of major cities, and tomorrow they will appear on railways and in aviation.”

The CBT, which collects, stores, and processes biometric data for identification and authentication, has previously implemented biometric passenger access for business lounges in several airports.

The Transportation Ministry did not share details related to the timeline of the rollout. The government’s “Green Digital Passenger Corridor” envisions a transition to biometric technologies at major Russian transport hubs by 2030. The implementation of the project, however, has been delayed due to a lack of funding and access to technologies, caused by international sanctions.

At the beginning of 2025, Russian authorities announced the country’s first fully biometric terminal at Sochi International Airport, implemented by the local Aerodinamika holding.

Pakistan biometric air travel tender, India expands FTI-TTP

Pakistan has completed the design phase of its project to introduce e-gates at the country’s busiest airports. The next step will fall on the German consultancy firm M2P Consulting, which is in charge of preparing technical studies and tender documents to attract bids from leading international companies.

The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA)’s E-Gates Project plans to install 100 e-gates at Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi international airports. Passengers would be able to clear immigration through a biometric system linked with e-passports, Bloom Pakistan reports.

Pakistan’s neighbor India is far ahead in its own biometric air travel initiatives.

After a dozen Indian airports, the Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) is arriving at the Cochin International Airport (CIAL) in the southwestern state of Kerala.

CIAL plans to install ten biometric kiosks in the arrivals area of CIAL’s Terminal 3, allowing the airport to fast-track immigration processing of foreign nationals. The company has already floated the tenders, while the successful bidder will need to complete the work in five months, unnamed sources told the New India Express.

The FTI-TTP program was first introduced at Delhi Airport earlier this year, allowing travelers to scan their boarding passes and passports at the e-gate and then undergo biometric authentication using fingerprint and facial recognition for immigration clearance.

Taiwan introduces digital arrival card

Taiwan is replacing its paper-based Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC) with an online version: Foreign travelers will be required to complete an online form at the official TWAC website within three days before arrival.

The new rule applied as of October 1st, 2025, according to the National Immigration Agency (NIA).

The move is a part of an effort to streamline travel to the Pacific island. This summer, NIA announced it is updating its e-gates system, which allows Taiwan passport-holders to register their faces and optionally their fingerprints for easier immigration clearance.

In July, the Taipei Songshan Airport also said it was upgrading its check-in counters with SITA’s technology.

Article Topics

airport biometrics  |  biometrics  |  Canada  |  digital ID  |  digital travel  |  immigration  |  India  |  Pakistan  |  passenger processing  |  Russia