ADVERTISEMENTQueuing to check in and board a flight is a notoriously tedious experience. But one airport in Germany wants to significantly speed up the process for passengers.
Frankfurt airport says it will begin offering biometric check-in services for all travellers in the next few months
It already offers the facial recognition system for flyers on Lufthansa and its affiliated Star Alliance routes (including United, Air China and Air India).
Here’s how the system works and how it could change your airport experience.
Frankfurt airport offers facial recognition check-in to all passengers
Frankfurt airport hopes to slash queuing times by becoming the first in Europe to open up biometric check-in for all passengers.
Airport operator Fraport said the time-saving technology will be available for travellers on all airlines who register in advance for it.
How does biometric check-in work?
Instead of queuing up at a desk to have ID and documents checked, your face becomes your boarding pass.
Passengers can securely register in advance on their mobile device through the Star Alliance biometric app or directly at the check-in kiosk with their biometric-enabled passports. The whole registration process only takes a few seconds.
Then they will have their faces scanned as they pass by checkpoints instead of having to present their documents.
The system, dubbed the ‘Smart Path’, is already used by over 12,000 travellers at the airport’s check-in and departure gates.
"Our goal is to equip at least 50 per cent of all check-in machines as well as boarding pass control and departure gates with this groundbreaking technology in the next few months," said Pierre Dominique Prümm, Fraport Executive Board member responsible for infrastructure.
Star Alliance passengers holding Miles & More cards can permanently save their biometric data while other passengers will register using their ID documents for their booked flights only.
All personal information will be deleted three hours after the flight departure time, Sita, the company providing the technology, said.
“We know from our research that where biometrics are introduced, more than 75 per cent of passengers will gladly use them,” said CEO of Sita, David Lavorel.
Conventional check-in methods will remain available too, the airport confirmed.
The biometric technology is also in place at a few other major German airports including Hamburg and Munich, but only for Lufthansa and Star Alliance passengers.