Advances in facial recognition technology are slowly but surely making physical identity documents obsolete!
Case in point: Two Italian airports, Milan Linate and Catania airports, are currently trialing FaceBoarding, a facial recognition system that allows travelers to go through security checkpoints without having to show their passport or identity card or their boarding pass.
Passengers only need to register at kiosks in the airport or via an app to use the technology.
What is FaceBoarding?
FaceBoarding is a biometric system that allows passengers to access security controls and gates using facial recognition.
After they have checked in for the flight, travellers use airport kiosks to show their documents and scan their face. This then allows them to use FaceBoarding rather than showing their documents again.
An app is also being developed and hopes to launch in June so passengers can register their information in advance.
Passengers can decide whether to register for a single flight or for all flights until 31 December 2025.
Once registered, passengers can pass through designated gates at security and through boarding gates without showing proof of identity or a boarding pass.
FaceBoarding will reduce airport queues
The new system uses biometric recognition software designed by French IT company Thales; and security gates from Swiss company Dormakaba.
It is hoped it will cut waiting times at security and boarding gates.
“In addition to offering faster control times, this increases effectiveness and guarantees protection of privacy and data of passengers,” SEA, the company that manages Milan’s Linate and Malpensa airports, said in a statement.
Which airports in Europe use FaceBoarding technology?
FaceBoarding is currently available for all passengers over 18 years old in two airports in Italy: Milano Linate and Catania.
Those who do not wish to use the system can access security and gates as usual using their identity document and boarding pass.
ITA Airways and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) have both signed up to the system and it is also available to all other airlines.
Speaking at the launch at Linate, Armando Bruni, CEO of SEA which manages Milan’s Linate and Malpensa airports, said the company hopes to roll out the biometric technology in other airports too, including Malpensa.
