The cult favorite film, ‘Minority Report’ really did see this sort of thing coming. While planes may become slightly quieter and feel less like a tin can, it’s the airport experience which will change the most in years to come. Biometric boarding is the brave new enhancement in the airport experience and we’re going to explain what it is, why it’s better- and faster.
Biometric boarding is boarding a plane, passing through the boarding gate without human interaction. Biometric information collected at check in, or while passing through security (when they scan your boarding pass) will match you up at the gate digitally, confirming your identity.
Why It’s Better…
It just is- ok? In all seriousness, biometric boarding is faster. Thanks to this biometric and facial recognition technology, the time to process each passenger is quicker than when it’s done by a human. But it’s the four simultaneous lanes which really make things shine.
Four lanes are faster than two lanes, and definitely faster than one. Passengers will be able to walk up four at a time, place their boarding pass down on a scanner and within seconds, be on their way. No need to check ID’s, passports or any of that time wasting nonsense. The biometric scanner will confirm your identity.
Who Has It?
British Airways, China Southern Delta and KLM are the airlines at the forefront of the biometric boarding revolution.British Airways is the most active launch customer- offering biometric boarding at both London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports.China Southern is testing biometric boarding at Henan Airport. Delta is currently experimenting in Atlanta and Washington DC’s Reagan Airport. KLM and Schipol Airport are running trials in Amsterdam. More to follow…
Although not boarding. CLEAR in the USA has bio-metric security TSA clearance lines. They work great. I’m interested to try the boarding version.
This may well take you through the boarding pass check quicker but you will still be queuing to get on the aircraft itself. And more and more the case for BA short haul, queuing to board a bus!
Also, I fly out of T5 at least once a month and I am yet to see this.