Hamad International Airport (DOH) in Doha, Qatar, rolled out biometric facial recognition at designated passenger touch points—including security—where passports or boarding passes are normally required.
Qatar Airways passengers are eligible for “Fast Pass,” which has been implemented in conjunction with technology provider SITA. Registered departing passengers can “move through dedicated biometric-enabled touch points at check-in, bag drop, security and boarding” using their faces as the sole form of identification, DOH said.
The program is optional for passengers. Registration is done via the Qatar Airways app or at select DOH self-service kiosks. Registering through the airline activates Fast Pass for all future Qatar Airways trips from DOH. Registering at a kiosk on the day of the flight is done on a trip-by-trip basis and only makes the passenger eligible for that day’s movement through the airport.
Passengers must have a valid passport and be at least 18 years old to participate. All trips using Fast Pass need to originate in Doha. Connecting passengers are not currently eligible.
“In the near future, Qatar Airways transfer passengers will also be able to use Fast Pass, as well as other interested airlines operating from [DOH], supporting smoother connections between flights,” SITA said.
The biometric program is currently available at four DOH self-service bag drops and two security gates. Qatar Airways passengers can use Fast Pass to board flights at three of the airport’s five concourses (A, B and C). “More areas will be introduced soon,” DOH said.
Passengers need to carry passports in case the camera does not recognize them. Fast Pass cannot be used at immigration touch points. “The service is not yet available for passengers with disabilities, but this is planned for the future,” DOH noted.
Biometric facial recognition is increasingly being introduced at airports across the world.
“IATA research shows that most [passengers] now prefer biometric identification over physical documents,” SITA said. “Verifying a passenger once and recognizing them at each touch point allows airports to meet rising demand without longer queues. Aviation is at a turning point, and roll-outs at this scale show what the next standard for passenger processing can look like.”
DOH said the facial recognition process “takes only seconds, reducing document checks and wait times, particularly during busy periods.”
Selim Bouri, SITA’s president for the Middle East, Africa and Turkey, said the program being implemented at DOH is the “model the industry will build on.”
DOH emphasized the program is only used for passengers who opt in. “Non-enrolled individuals are not identified, and any biometric data incidentally captured is deleted immediately and not retained,” the airport said.
DOH said on a fact sheet for passengers available on its website that it is not storing biometric data. “The designated checkpoints at Hamad International Airport only use automated facial detection to verify enrollment in the biometric program,” the airport said. “If you have successfully registered through the self-service kiosks at [DOH], your personal and biometric data is secure and used only for that specific trip and is deleted 24 hr. after your flight departs.”
Passengers enrolling via the Qatar Airways app have “personal data ... stored on your device and shared with the airport when Fast Pass is enabled for your trip,” DOH added. “Your personal data remains securely available in the Qatar Airways app. You can delete your stored data from your device at any time through the app settings.”
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