Airports in the region are opening up to biometric technology that allows major airport processes, from check-in to boarding, to be entirely electronic.
SITA’s president of Asia Pacific, Sumesh Patel, told TTG Asia that adopting biometrics is “very high on a lot of airports’ agendas”, and revealed that the association is currently in talks with airports in the region, including Singapore Changi Airport, to implement the self-service system.
The SITA Smart Path lets travellers use facial recognition as a “single token” of identification spanning the check-in counter, baggage drop, immigration and boarding gate, without having to present any travel documents. The passenger data is stored until their departure.
This has the potential to create a “seamless” airport experience for passengers, said Patel, while reducing human error. He added: “It’s about making the process fast, easy and secure – and biometrics is the answer to getting there.”
Brisbane Airport was the first to adopt this technology last month, and its trial has been producing good feedback, shared Patel.
Depending on requirements and maturity levels, Patel continued, different airports are looking to implement biometrics in selected stages, such as the check-in area or the immigration stop. Service staff will still be at hand to assist passengers who encounter difficulties.
In Asia, Patel stated that Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea’s Incheon particularly have been the quickest in embracing technological advancements, due to the “sheer traffic and growth” of travellers.
