SITA showcases tech in Singapore as Asia embraces biometrics for air travel

SITA has launched a new Experience Centre in Singapore aimed at showcasing the future of air travel. The hub features immersive demonstrations of the latest technologies such as biometrics, digital identity, and smart airport solutions.

It’s been designed to help airlines, airports, and governments explore innovations that enhance passenger experience and operational efficiency. It comes as passengers across the globe say they want faster, smarter and greenery journeys that mirror their digital lifestyles.

Biometrics are paving the way for faster air travel (as well as more convenient cruise ship onboarding), and travellers appear to favor the method to speed up airport security. The trends are playing out in airports the world over as the latest announcements indicate, as the likes of Amadeus, BigBig.ai, Clear, Reco 3.26, SITA and Thales compete for the business.

Thales might get a boost in this as it’s been named Frost & Sullivan’s 2025 Company of the Year in Automated Border Control. The award highlights Thales’ biometrics innovation, particularly its frictionless identity verification systems that enhance border security while improving passenger experience.

The busiest aviation hub in southern Taiwan, Kaohsiung International Airport, is set to undergo digital transformation aimed at enhancing the passenger experience. The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) has partnered with SITA to deploy SITA’s Smart Path and Flex solutions, which will introduce face biometrics for passenger identification and enable self-service check-in and bag drop.

These upgrades are designed to reduce congestion and waiting times, allowing travelers to move through the airport more quickly and with greater ease. This goes with SITA’s suggestion that improving airport efficiency is a more achievable goal than physically expanding the footprint of an airport, which requires huge capital expenditure and clearing red tape.

SITA’s cloud-based infrastructure will also support the airport’s operational needs, offering scalable and flexible systems that can adapt to future growth. The modernization aligns with Taiwan’s broader goals for digital innovation in public infrastructure.

Kaohsiung’s upgrade follows similar deployments at Taipei Songshan and Taipei Taoyuan airports. The enhancements are expected to be completed by mid-2026. SITA has also modernized infrastructure at airports in Honolulu, Hawai’i; Guyana, and the country of Georgia with biometrics for arrivals.

More U.S. airports roll out Clear, BigBear.ai biometric gates

Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) has introduced Clear eGates, a face biometrics security system designed to reduce TSA wait times and streamline passenger screening. The system matches travelers with their ID and boarding pass, allowing Clear+ members to bypass the TSA podium and proceed directly to security screening in as little as five seconds, according to the company.

The e-gates are developed through a public-private partnership between Clear and the TSA, with the e-gates transmitting only essential identity data and which cannot be manually opened without TSA authorization. The rollout at CVG follows similar deployments at major airports including LaGuardia, JFK, Atlanta, Reagan National, and Seattle-Tacoma. Clear has also expanded its Clear+ service to passport holders from 40 additional countries across Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

Clear CEO Caryn Seidman Becker emphasized the importance of modernizing airport checkpoints ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. The initiative is privately funded, but the public-private partnership is part of a broader development the TSA is ushering in.

BigBear.ai has deployed its biometric identity platform, veriScan, at Chicago O’Hare International Airport to streamline border control for returning U.S. citizens. The system is part of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s EPP program, and cuts identity verification times from 60 seconds to just 10 seconds per traveler, the company says.

The rollout, in partnership with the Chicago Department of Aviation, is another implementation of veriScan, which is also available at Nashville International Airport (BNA).

Reco 3.26 kiosks live in Italy for EES

Reco 3.26 has announced it’s officially live with its EES Self-Service Kiosks at “major” Italian airports. The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) started on October 12 and digitally tracks non-EU visitors entering and exiting the Schengen Area.

Reco 3.26’s kiosks use biometrics, such as face and fingerprint scans; reads passports and allows input for data. “With our kiosks, travelers can quickly, securely and independently complete their pre-registration – helping to reduce wait times and streamline border control processes,” the LinkedIn announcement says.

Biometric airport gates launch at BIA, resume operations at Dhaka

Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) has introduced biometric e-gates for Sri Lankan passport holders, enabling faster and more secure immigration clearance. The system uses face biometrics to verify identities against government records, reducing congestion and enhancing border security. Users must complete a one-time pre-registration.

The development comes off the back of a 2024 US$8.4 million grant from Japan to Sri Lanka to upgrade two of the country’s major points of entry, which included investing in biometric access control systems and automated border control (ABC) gates. The grant was provided through the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (DAC) in Dhaka is set to reactivate its biometric e-gates. Part of Bangladesh’s Automated Border Control initiative, the e-gates were launched in July 2022 but became inactive due to server issues.

The Dhaka airport implemented Veridos’ e-gates, which use face biometrics, while the Bangladeshi government targeted rolling out 50 such gates at other airports and land crossings. The government also plans to extend e-passport services by December 2025.

Indian travelers lead in embracing biometrics, Amadeus finds

Indian travelers are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence and biometric technologies to personalize and streamline their journeys, according to the Connected Journeys: How Will Technology Transform Travel in the Next Decade? Amadeus study.

The report highlights that 84 percent of Indian respondents are comfortable using biometric identification at airports, significantly above the global average of 74 percent. Travelers also expressed strong interest in AI-driven services, with nearly half expecting personalized trip planning based on their preferences and travel history.

While enthusiasm for smart travel tools is high, the study notes that Indian travelers value transparency and control over how their personal data is used. Clear communication and robust privacy safeguards are seen as essential to building trust.

Amadeus says the findings position India as a global leader in adopting next-generation travel technologies, driven by a digitally savvy population and expanding infrastructure. The company expects biometrics to play a significant role in shaping the future of travel across the region.

Article Topics

ABC gates  |  airport biometrics  |  Amadeus  |  BigBear.ai  |  biometrics  |  CLEAR  |  digital travel  |  identity verification  |  passenger processing  |  SITA  |  Thales Digital Identity and Security