Manchester Airport expands Amadeus biometrics to passenger routing

Manchester Airport has introduced a biometric operational model that helps route passengers to either domestic or international travel areas with the help of travel technology supplier Amadeus.

The new model enables both types of travelers to share the same arrival and departure infrastructure, alleviating the issue of constrained terminal capacity.

Airport terminals have traditionally segregated domestic and international passenger flows. However, with the rise in the number of travellers, this method has become inefficient as it requires duplicating the infrastructure, says Amadeus.

“By using biometrics to reconcile passenger identity across different journey types, we can use our space far more intelligently, reduce operational complexity, and deliver a consistently high-quality experience for all passengers, while still protecting the integrity of border force operations,” says Chris Woodroofe, Manchester Airport’s managing director.​

The face biometric matching system was introduced at Terminal 2 of Manchester Airport. Domestic passengers travelling within the Common Travel Area (CTA) can continue their journey, while international passengers are automatically routed to standard immigration checks, including eGates or processing by UK border officials.​

The system currently works for passengers flying with Aer Lingus, Aurigny, British Airways, easyJet and Loganair.​

In October last year, Manchester Airport tested a “contactless” border control system, relying on biometric e-gates from Amadeus, that allows British travelers to enter the country without showing their passports. More than 270 e-gates currently operate at British airports and ports and the UK government is planning to expand their use following trials.

Amadeus signs deals with UnionPay and Tata

Amadeus is also easing travel for Chinese passengers. The company has announced a new deal with Chinese payment processing company UnionPay International that will enable airlines to directly accept UnionPay cards.​

Airlines can accept UnionPay cardholders whether they are buying tickets through Amadeus’ payment solution Outpayce, or the Amadeus Travel Platform, a marketplace that connects travel providers and agencies with airlines, hotels, car rentals and rail operators.

In a separate deal, Amadeus signed a strategic partnership with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), an IT and business consultancy operating under the Indian multinational Tata Group.

The Boston-headquartered firm will work with TCS to implement the Amadeus Nevio retailing technology stack across multiple airlines. In the future, Amadeus hopes to expand the collaboration to other technologies, including AI, the firm says in a release.

Article Topics

airport biometrics  |  Amadeus  |  biometrics  |  digital travel  |  passenger processing  |  Tata Consultancy Services  |  UnionPay