Idemia Public Security, Elenium team up to unify identity across airport experience

Idemia Public Security has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with aviation self-service automation company Elenium, formalizing a shared commitment to digitalize air travel. A release says the partnership combines Elenium’s automation platform with Idemia’s biometric passenger processing and baggage identification technologies to unify identity across the airport experience, from check-in and bag drop, through security, to airline and airport lounge access and boarding.

By connecting touchpoints and digitizing baggage management processes, the system creates a more efficient, contactless airport experience for passengers, from curb to gate.

Aaron Hornlimann, CEO of Elenium, says the partnership represents a major milestone for aviation. “True self-service means technology does the work – not passengers. Together, we’re building a future where we accelerate how passengers move through terminals effortlessly, safely and with complete confidence.”

Tim Ferris, global head of travel and transport for Idemia Public Security, says the partnership “brings together two organizations committed to delivering safer travel that is accessible, secure, and inclusive and private by design. Elenium’s proven automation capabilities, paired with Idemia Public Security’s solutions, will deliver a unified, world-class solution that airports, airlines and passengers can depend on.”

Elenium’s self-service technologies are deployed by more than 45 airlines and 35 airports worldwide, impacting 1.7 billion passengers to date. Integration with Idemia’s capabilities in AI, biometrics and computer vision aims to reduce congestion and enable intuitive passenger flows.

Melbourne Airport chief says more SmartGates can ease bottlenecks

The chief executive of Melbourne Airport says more of Idemia’s SmartGates need to be a part of the planned $4.5 billion (US$TK) expansion of its international terminal, according to the Australian Financial Review.

Lorie Argus, the airport’s CEO, cites frequent bottlenecks as a motivator to install biometric SmartGates, which use a two-step facial matching process to verify passengers. Melbourne processed 1.26 million international passengers in January – the busiest month in its history. “We’ve had 17 kiosks at Melbourne Airport for the last decade, and we have 50 per cent more international travellers going through that space,” Argus says. “So we definitely need more kiosks, equally we have to have all the technology to support that.”

Argus says advancements will add five new international wide-body airplane gates to the international terminal. Completion is targeted for 2031.

Tampa International Airport adds Enhanced Passenger Processing

Tampa International Airport has launched Enhanced Passenger Processing (EPP) in partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. A news release says the biometric EPP system is operational in the international arrivals area at Airside F, featuring two dedicated lanes exclusively for U.S. passport holders, offering facial comparison to instantly verify identity.

Per the release, “when a U.S. citizen enters the inspection area, auto-capture cameras operated by CBP officers take a quick photo. Within seconds, the system compares the live image to passport photos already stored in CBP’s database, verifies identity and citizenship, conducts law enforcement vetting, and creates a crossing record, all without requiring travelers to present documents manually.”

“As Tampa International Airport continues to implement technology-based solutions to enhance the passenger experience, the recently released Enhanced Passenger Processing solution is a game changer,” says TPA Director of Digital Technologies & Innovation Doug Wycoff. “The Operations and Technology teams at TPA brought this solution to production with a clear understanding of how processing passengers in just six to eight seconds can significantly improve the flow at international arrivals.”

CBP says it has recorded a 25 percent reduction in wait times for U.S. citizens since launching EPP nationally. The program is now available at 16 U.S. airports, with biometrics vendors including iProov, Aware, Paravision, BigBear and SITA supporting EPP deployments.

More airlines for Amadeus eGates at Ninoy Aquino International Airport

The Philippines’ Department of Transportation has announced that more airlines have signed on to the biometric check-in to boarding program at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), where Amadeus provides biometric eGates that make use of facial recognition. ​

Article Topics

ABC gates  |  airport biometrics  |  Amadeus  |  biometrics  |  digital identity  |  digital travel  |  Elenium  |  facial recognition  |  IDEMIA  |  Idemia Public Security