Gallery: More innovations on contactless travel

Domestic and international passengers flying from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) has received a significant technology upgrade with new SITA biometric-enabled self-service touchpoints. The extensive technology deployment features a hardware and software overhaul, including introducing more than 100 SITA biometric-enabled self-service Smart Path kiosks – the TS6, SITA Smart Path Bag Drop, and an IT infrastructure refresh. SITA's brand-new slimline TS6 kiosks are available from December 2021 and feature wireless connectivity. The kiosks are ready and enabled for SITA Flex and the next generation of common-use API-based services that facilitate a low-touch, fully mobile passenger experience.

Hudson, a Dufrey company, will offer Amazon’s industry’s first palm recognition service, Amazon One, at Hudson Nonstop—powered by Just Walk Out technology—at Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL). As the first-ever Just Walk Out technology-enabled store in an airport to deploy Amazon One, Hudson Nonstop at DAL now offers travelers two different options to enter and pay – either by inserting their credit or debit card, or by hovering their palm over the Amazon One device at the store’s entry gate. First-time Amazon One users can sign up at the dedicated Amazon One enrollment kiosk located outside of Hudson Nonstop to securely associate a credit or debit card with their unique palm signature before entering the store.

Spirit Airlines unveiled its automated self-bag drop experience with biometric photo-matching system. The redesigned ticket lobby is designed to limit face-to-face interaction, streamline flight check-ins and get passengers from the curb to the brightest planes in the sky quickly. The Fort Lauderdale-based ULCC’s self-bag drop system now operates at New York's LaGuardia and Chicago O'Hare international airports.

Japan Airlines (JAL) and software creator Ditto completed an inflight meal ordering application pilot. The Ditto-powered application for the first time allowed JAL crew to process passenger orders and communicate using mobile devices without an internet connection. Ditto is a real-time database that allows information to be stored and transmitted across multiple server locations all the way to a mesh of edge devices in difficult-to-connect environments. Unreliable internet connectivity during ground operations and inside the aircraft means applications that require consistent connectivity to sync, like task management and meal ordering, can’t function in or around the plane. Ditto eliminates this problem by enabling peer-to-peer synchronization, allowing devices to communicate and sync data directly with other devices in real time.

Spanish airline Iberia Express has selected Immfly, in partnership with catering provider DO & CO, to digitize its onboard retail experience. The new solution digitalizes the Iberia Express menu proposition by enabling payments through an innovative all-in-one Android EPOS. This allows contactless transactions while its backend system manages the warehouse operations and inventory. Immfly’s technology will also allow in-seat ordering, which will enable passengers to consult, order and pay for all onboard catering products from their own devices, making it a complete retail experience on personal devices.

Technology provider SITA will install 87 biometric-enabled SITA TS6 Kiosks at Frankfurt Airport, which is expected to be completed by 2021 year-end. SITA’s TS6 check-in kiosks allow passengers to check in quickly and obtain bag tags for later self-bag drop services. The kiosks work in concert with SITA Flex and offer passengers a unified user experience across multiple airlines, increasing ease of use while also reducing physical touchpoints.

Austrian Airlines and Vienna International Airport jointly introduced the biometric recognition system for contactless travel on Nov. 9. Star Alliance Biometrics facilitates boarding without presenting the boarding pass and passing through security access quickly and contactless. This feature is exclusive for Miles & More members. After a one-time registration via the Miles & More App and accepting the terms of use, frequent flyers can access boarding pass control and selected quick-boarding-gates contactless. A special infrastructure has been set up at the Vienna hub in Terminal 3. Since the facial recognition technology is not affected, passengers can keep their FFP2-mask on, which is mandatory inside the terminal.

Delta Air Lines will open its first-ever Delta-TSA PreCheck express lobby and bag drop at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport starting in November 2021. Customers with both the Fly Delta app and a TSA PreCheck membership will soon be able to visit a new dedicated bag drop lobby on the lower level of Atlanta’s Domestic South Terminal, pass through the security checkpoint, and board their plane at the gate using only their digital identity (made up of a customer’s SkyMiles Member number, passport number and Known Traveler Number). Customers are free to travel from curb to gate, completely hands- and device-free.

Airport food and retail provider AtYourGate has begun a new digital meal voucher program for passengers that have delayed or canceled flights. Passengers can use the airline-issued vouchers to order food via an app or online and have it delivered directly to their departure gate. While AtYourGate currently operates at 17 US airports, this app trial is currently only being piloted through United Airlines at Denver International Airport. If successful, it is expected to expand to additional airlines and airports in the coming months.

United Airlines and PayPal have partnered to enable passengers to use QR codes for touch-free inflight purchases, even in areas without Wi-Fi. Starting in November 2021, United customers on select flights can show a flight attendant the PayPal QR Code in the PayPal app and use it to buy snacks, drinks and other inflight purchases while onboard. PayPal QR Codes can be used on select flights departing from Chicago O’ Hare International Airport in November and before the end of the year, will extend to all flights across the entire network where contactless payment is available.

Airport ground services provider Swissport and AirPortr have teamed up to enable off-airport baggage processing for airlines and airports. This partnership will enable all passengers—regardless of whether they travel in economy, business or first class—to pre-book an at-home baggage collection slot for departing flights. A courier will digitally verify ID and travel documents at the doorstep and seal the baggage for secure delivery to the airport. Passengers will receive live updates and digital airline baggage tags.

Perth Airport is partnering with Mr Yum, a mobile food ordering system that offers QR code mobile ordering for in-terminal food and drinks before boarding. Travelers scan a Mr Yum QR code on their smartphone to order and pay for hot and cold food and beverages from the table, upon entering the terminal or while waiting to pass through security. When their order is ready, an SMS is sent so they can skip the queues and go directly to their gate, with goods in hand. The service is initially available at selected outlets in terminals T2 and T4 with expansion plans.

Riga Airport, in partnership with airBaltic, has opened four self-service baggage drop-off points, which are located in the airport’s departure hall at check-in desks No. 8-11, where airBaltic passengers who have already checked in for a flight on-line or at airport’s self-service check-in kiosks and received a boarding pass can drop off their checked baggage. Non-standard baggage, such as prams, sports equipment, oversize baggage and similar items may not be checked in at the self-service drop-off points.

London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) is trialing Amadeus touchless bag drop technology, which uses proximity sensors to allow passengers to check-in their luggage without touching the screens on the kiosks. The new contactless experience has initially been installed on six of Heathrow’s Auto Bag Drop (ABD) units provided by ICM Airport Technics, an Amadeus company. The trial means passengers using any of the six trial ABD units can drop their luggage quickly, safely and easily. The Amadeus contactless solution sees an infra-red proximity sensor installed along the top edge of the bag drop screen, which detects the passenger’s finger as far as 3cm from the screen surface. This allows passengers to interact with the bag drop unit as usual but without the need to physically touch the screen.

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) launched a robotic ambassador, named Nom Nom, for its popular online food and beverage ordering service, www.LAXOrderNow.com. In partnership with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW), the LAX Order Now delivery service will begin using help, in a pilot program, from a two-wheeled, semi-autonomous robot helper. NomNom is a cargo robot that will carry up to 40 pounds of food at a time as it follows behind delivery staff from AtYourGate, which delivers food ordered via LAX Order Now. The robot can move at speeds up to 6 mph and uses a series of cameras and sensors to recognize and follow its handler throughout the airport.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is piloting a biometric self-boarding e-gate at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to enhance the customer experience through Aug. 31 at Gate 62 of Terminal B before it will be assessed for potentially wider implementation. The agency is working with partners EASIER and Idemia, which manufacture the hardware and software, respectively, and Lufthansa, which has integrated the e-gate into its departure control system.

Darwin International Airport (DIA) owner and operator Airport Development Group selected Elenium Automation to deploy the VYGR (short for Voyager) self-service end-to-end solution, which is expected to improve passenger experience, enhance operational efficiency and enable future growth. Elenium will install 30 portable kiosks to provide a full and fast check-in process, all of which can be easily moved for greater operational flexibility and utility, as well as 23 bag drops, six of which can also function as agent-assist and rework stations. Elenium’s bag drop uses cameras that digitally zoom and focus to find the bag tag barcode. Bag tags are read in 70 milliseconds irrespective of bag placement, at 97% first-time read rate.

AirBaltic is introducing airBaltic SKY Service, a platform that will enable passengers to use their mobile devices to order items from the onboard menu as well as airBaltic Sky Shop, check company’s current destinations and ticket prices, sign up for the airBaltic Club loyalty program. Passengers will also be able to read Baltic Outlook magazine and the inspirational airBaltic Blog.

United Airlines is offering economy passengers the option to preorder snacks and beverages. United’s pre-order technology is an extension of the Chicago-based carrier’s contactless payment platform that allows customers to store payment information in a digital wallet. United’s pre-order option is available on select flights departing from Chicago to Honolulu, Orange County, CA Sacramento, CA and San Diego, and will expand to all flights over 1,500 miles by early fall.

Addis-Ababa Bole International Airport has launched SITA Smart Path Drop & Fly baggage self-service solution for Ethiopian Airlines’ passengers.

Tokyo Haneda Airport has deployed Collins Aerospace’s ARINC SelfPass biometrics solution, streamlining passenger processing through reduced physical interactions and bottlenecks at multiple passenger touchpoints. This project includes the installation of 98 Self-Service Check-In Kiosks, 30 biometric enrollment kiosks, 104 biometric devices for Self-Bag Drop, 17 biometric Automated Security Gates and 42 biometric Automated Self-Boarding Gates.

Rome-Fiumicino International Airport (FCO) has begun a new biometric boarding system in partnership with Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines and SITA. Delta Air Lines’ passengers can use the facial recognition technology as they pass through check-in, security checks and boarding gates to the US. A multimedia interactive device detects the biometric characteristics of the face and electronically acquires the information contained in the passport and on the boarding passes. These data are associated with the face through appropriately prepared cameras, in full compliance with the privacy legislation. After that, it will no longer be necessary to show documents or boarding passes. No photos shall be stored. The system temporarily detects only the biometric contours of the face, which are used for passenger recognition. The same procedure is also operational in the US, thus completing the service on both directions and making it the first intercontinental round-trip connection fully biometric and contactless.

Japan Airlines begun fully using facial recognition for its boarding procedures for international flights departing from Narita and Haneda airports on July 19, 2021. This implementation follows a successful trial of Face Express, which ran in April. Upon registering your photo of your face at one of the initial registration points at the airport, such as an automatic check-in machine, you can proceed through the boarding procedures (check-in, checked baggage, security check point, boarding gate) without presenting your boarding ticket or passport. This enables a smooth and safe new air travel experience, as well limits the contacts points between airport staff and passengers.

British Airways has teamed up with AirPortr to create fast bag drop areas before heading to the departures concourse at Heathrow Airport Terminal 5. With the first drop-off point planned at the Heathrow Express train platforms, customers will be able to quickly and securely drop-off their luggage at peak times, before traveling bag-free straight through to security. AirPortr’s team seal, secure, and check in bags for customers’ flights, before being collected from the reclaim at their destination. Customers can also choose to book luggage collections from their home address, from £19 ($26). This service allows travelers to check in their bags from the comfort of their own doorstep, with a vetted delivery driver. AirPortr ensures that once collected, bags are sealed and monitored throughout the delivery process. Passengers can track their luggage online from the moment it leaves their doorstep, or at the T5 key access areas, right up to the bag being loaded onto the aircraft. Customers using the services also receive digital bag tag receipts.

Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) will begin using facial recognition technology Face Express to improve the customer experience and streamline the boarding process from July 19. Part of ANA’s initiative to offer additional contactless services, the new check-in procedure will be introduced on international flights departing from Narita International Airport. The first flight to feature Face Express offers service will be from Tokyo Narita (NRT) to Mexico City (MEX); ANA will look at expanding the list of eligible flights in the future, with plans to introduce it at Tokyo Haneda Airport.

Frankfurt Airport has gone live with the latest advanced version of Omnevo’s omnichannel e-commerce solution. Additionally, the two companies extended their long-term partnership for another five years to further develop the digitalization of the airport’s range of products and services for the almost 70 million passengers (before COVID-19) who travel through Frankfurt Airport each year. The newly enhanced Omnevo cloud solution enables the operation of a complete airport marketplace solution for all travel retail sales at a fraction of the costs previously required for such a leading ecosystem, creating new revenue opportunities for crisis-hit airports of any size.

British Airways has unveiled its new inflight digital ordering platform, giving customers traveling in Euro Traveller the option to order additional snacks and drinks mid-flight, directly to their seat. The new inflight ordering system complements the UK airline’s current “Buy Before You Fly” offering, where customers are encouraged to order from the airline’s full Speedbird Café menu, including items from its Tom Kerridge range, in advance of travel. Customers who wish to add to an existing pre-order, or for those who did not place an order before travel, can do so at any point during their flight. The proposition will initially be available from July 19 on selected routes before rolling out across other eligible services.

Vision-Box, along with the Finnish Border Guard (RAJA), are implementing the first European Union (EU) Entry/Exit System (EES) project inside the Schengen area. It aims to modernize and expand the existing border control infrastructure and increasing operational efficiency at Helsinki Airport, while guaranteeing compliance to the EU regulatory framework. The EES is a landmark initiative set to replace traditional border controls of Third-Country Nationals with fully digital passenger processing and automated biometric data collection in 2022. The new infrastructure offers a suite of digital tools that reduces or eliminates passenger contact with touchscreen surfaces, unleash the power of contactless biometric identification to minimize physical interaction with airport and border control officers, thus providing a safe travel experience.

SITA has implemented its new-generation of passenger processing infrastructure at Václav Havel Airport Prague, paving the way to a completely touchless, mobile passenger journey at the airport in future. SITA’s new TS6 Kiosks work in harmony with SITA Flex, offering a fluid and intuitive experience for passengers and increased agility for the airport. SITA Flex, which designed to be cloud-based, can be switched on the moment an airline develops a cloud-based app. As a result, airlines can transform their passengers’ journeys, building on or tailoring existing passenger processing infrastructure and software.

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)—in a partnership with IBM Watson and Soul Machines—just completed the first phase of a trial of a Digital Human Concierge, an artificial intelligence-powered digital human. The Digital Human Concierge is a lifelike, responsive on-screen image, which provided DFW passengers on-demand, voice-based answers to their questions from her temporary location in Terminal A, near gate A-34. The first phase of the test ended June 25. The DFW Airport Innovation Team will use results of the test program to evaluate the digital concierge’s future potential at DFW.

New York JFK Airport has partnered with travel retail technology firm Inflyter and DFS Group to launch a contactless branded digital marketplace for duty-free shopping, in Terminal 4. Customers can visit the website, place their orders, and complete payment before arrival or while waiting for their flight to depart. Purchases will be delivered directly to the gate and passengers will receive their items just before they enter the aircraft.

Collins Aerospace has introduced a new Electronic Cabin Bag (eCB) Solution, to reduce passenger sand crew touchpoints in the cabin. Now available to airlines across the globe, eCB digitalizes and automates cabin crew tasks while enabling passengers to use their personal electronic devices for inflight shopping and service requests. By digitizing documents, inflight processes and inflight inventory, the eCB solution replaces traditional paper-heavy processes. The solution also eliminates the need for passengers to touch high-traffic call buttons. In addition, eCB enables airline passengers to access real-time onboard inventory of food, beverage and inflight shopping at any stage during the flight, with the knowledge that what is being shown to them is what is available to purchase. eCB is further enhanced when the aircraft has a satellite connection to enable real-time credit card payment verification — reducing the levels of fraudulent transactions.

Passengers and guests at Fraport Group’s Frankfurt Airport can now use their smartphones to order and pay for food and beverages from various restaurants in Terminal 1, Pier A—taking advantage of a new “fast lane to food.” The Yoordi self-ordering solution enables passengers to scan a QR code, study the menu of a participating restaurant, order, and then pay contactlessly. There’s no need to download an app or register. The order can then be picked up in the restaurant’s fast lane.

Frequent flyer customers of Star Alliance member airlines can use their biometric identity across any participating airline at any participating airport following a new agreement between Star, NEC Corp. and SITA. Connecting to SITA‘s Smart Path solution, the Star Alliance Biometrics platform will be able to use SITA’s shared airport infrastructure already available in more than 460 airports. Together with SITA and NEC’s global presence, multiple biometric projects can be delivered in parallel, speeding up the availability of biometric passenger processing to Star Alliance’s member airlines globally. Uniquely, passengers using Star Alliance’s Biometric platform enroll only once. Passengers then can pass through biometrically enabled touchpoints across multiple member airlines and participating airports using just their face as their boarding pass. This speeds up the passage through the airport while making the each step completely touchless, supporting important health and hygiene safety measures in times of COVID-19 and delivering on Star Alliances’ vision of a seamless customer experience.

Italy’s Milano Linate Airport unveiled its €40 million ($48.4 million) terminal renovation that features a redesigned check-in, security and retail areas, plus new biometrics, computed tomography (CT) scans and self-bag drop kiosk technologies. The three-level, 10,000 sq m terminal expansion includes bigger boarding lounges, a new shopping gallery and food court. Using Face Boarding, passengers can link their biometric fingerprint with their ID and boarding pass, enabling the ability to go through various checkpoints without showing their ID.

Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) inaugurated EASIER biometric SkyLanes in the new West Gates at Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on May 24. Enabling continuous improvement of the airport passenger journey, EASIER has deployed 52 SkyLanes in the new Bradley West Gates and 24 SkyLanes in the existing gates at Tom Bradley International Terminal. Under the three-year contract, a total of 128 SkyLanes will be deployed with possible expansions in other terminals. This technology, efficient and convenient for passengers, allows their boarding in one step without having to show a boarding pass or a passport. LAWA said airlines, airport and EASIER “do not keep any private passenger information and biometric matching is done by CBP in the cloud. US citizens have the option of opting out of the facial image capture and may be processed by airline agents with a passport and boarding pass.”

British Airways (BA) will be trialing new intelligent queuing technology from Qmatic, which will enable customers to virtually queue at check-in by pre-booking their slot time in advance of arriving at the airport. The optional technology will be trialed for three months on selected BA flights departing from Heathrow Terminal 5. Customers will be sent an email before travel inviting them to book their personal check-in time.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is one of the first airports in the US to investigate a “virtual queuing” system as a solution for crowded general screening lines. Called SEA Spot Saver, it is a free, reservation-based system for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) general screening security checkpoints. The pilot program will test if SEA Spot Saver successfully reduces wait times and crowding to better maintain physical distancing. The pilot will operate daily through Aug. 31, 2021 at Checkpoints 2 and 5. The pilot will run from 4 a.m. to noon to reduce congestion during SEA’s peak morning travel period. During busy travel periods checkpoints can serve between 40%-50% of daily passengers in the peak morning period before 11 a.m. Security screening zones are one of the most tightly constrained and consistently crowded areas of the airport. SEA Spot Saver will test two options: One experience is designed for Alaska Airlines passengers at TSA Checkpoint 5 with Pangiam, and powered by WhyLine and Copenhagen Optimization. The second experience by VHT is available to Delta Air Lines and all other passengers at TSA Checkpoint 2.

A six-month trial of SITA’s biometric-enabled Proof of Concept (PoC) at Istanbul Airport (IST) showed a 30% reduction in boarding times and increased satisfaction of participating passengers and airlines, as well as reducing risks associated with COVID-19, thanks to the low-touch passenger journey. The PoC, conducted with Turkish Airlines, involved the use of sophisticated biometric technology across multiple touchpoints. These included a common use terminal (CUTE) for Smart Path enrollment, a PaxCheck boarding pass verification point where passengers gain access to the gates, iGA lounge access verification, and boarding gate verification.

Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad has awarded the Single Token project for KL International Airport (KUL) to Vision-Box, signaling the start of a long-term partnership around Vision-Box’s Orchestra digital identity management system. Orchestra, which will be introduced at both KLIA and KLIA2, will be part of Malaysia Airports’ Single Token Journey initiative, aims to allow passengers to have a more efficient and safer traveling experience without having to show a boarding pass. This is made possible through contactless biometric technology, which can link the individual to their documents and profile.

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and United Airlines have trialed a low-touch, biometric-enabled airport experience from check-in to boarding for domestic travelers on select flights. Using SITA Smart Path, passengers participating in the trial can link their driver’s license to their facial biometric at check-in. They can then move through the airport, from check-in to bag drop, security and boarding by simply scanning their face at each touchpoint.

Tokyo’s Haneda and Narita international airports will in April begin trialing “Face Express,” a new boarding procedure for international departure flights using facial recognition technology belonging to NEC Corporation’s portfolio of advanced biometric authentication technologies. Face Express will allow passengers to access and proceed through procedures at the airport (check-in, baggage drop, security checkpoint entrance, boarding gate, etc.) without showing their passport and boarding pass by registering their facial image. This will achieve seamless procedures and, because it is contactless, it will reduce the infection risks posed by person-to-person contact. The two airports plan to launch the service in July.

Sydney Airport entered into a five-year contract with technology provider SITA for the provision of common-use services in its domestic and international terminals. The project went live on March 1, 2021, featuring SITA Flex, an advanced airport common use platform and includes SITA Bag Message, eliminating the need for multiple baggage system interfaces between airlines and airports. The solutions will enable the implementation of a low-touch, airline-ready mobile passenger journey, an improved baggage experience, and significant operational efficiency benefits for Sydney Airport.

American Airlines is rolling out more and more technology to make traveling easier and more touch-free. Building on the airline’s travel tool and mobile health passport app VeriFLY to confirm they’ve fulfilled every travel requirement for their trip, customers can also use the airline app to interact with a virtual assistant or chat live with a customer care representative to answer any questions they may have about travel. Once it’s time to pack their bags, the app makes it easy to check-in for a flight and print tags for bags—all without touching a kiosk. In March, American is expanding a touchless bag drop trial across most terminals at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). Introduced last year at DFW and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), customers who choose to enroll in the trial will be able to test biometric technology to drop their bags without searching for their physical ID or boarding pass. The airline will expand the touchless technology trial to gain entrance to an Admirals Club at DFW later this year and consider additional airport touchpoints going forward.

Hong Kong Airlines installed a new e-Boarding Gate facility at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), enabling passengers to be cleared for boarding with a simple one-step facial recognition procedure at the gate, without having to show their documents again. HKG is one of the first airports in the world to introduce contact-free boarding procedures for international travelers with the installation of e-Security Gates and e-Boarding Gates. These self-service facilities not only minimize contact with surfaces and interaction with people, it also offers a seamless curb-to-gate experience and shortens boarding time.

The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA-Dubai) launched a new fast-track passport control service that uses face and iris-recognition technologies in airports across the region. New biometric systems deployed at 122 smart gates at arrival and departure terminals in Dubai airports enable passengers to complete passport control procedures in five to nine seconds depending on the movement and steps of the passenger. Pre-registration is required to avail of the service.

Australian regulators have approved Elenium Automation’s fever detection kiosk, HealthGate, as a medical device. HealthGate, designed and manufactured in Australia, offers automated and highly accurate health screening for entry into public facilities such as airports, healthcare centers, event venues and workplaces. It also incorporates health declaration technology prior to arrival at a facility. The system uses a proprietary multi-spectrum sensor array, which leverages artificial intelligence to detect the appropriate region of interest on a person’s face and accurately measure if they have a fever.

Bahrain International Airport’s (BAH) new Passenger Terminal includes SITA Smart Path biometrics and SITA Flex, which will be delivered with SITA Smart Path kiosks enabling a low-touch mobile and biometric-enabled check-in experience that combats COVID-19 by reducing risk of contracting the virus. SITA VP-sales Roger Nakouzi said with the new SITA technology, BAH can “leap forward and make operations resilient, agile, and safer for all passengers. The implementation allows for deeper integration of Smart Path throughout the airport and further installation of automated systems, future-proofing the airport for decades to come.”

Emirates Airline’s self-check-in and bag drop kiosks at Dubai International (DXB), which was rolled out in September 2020, have gone touchless further enhancing the smart contactless journey for passengers traveling from Dubai. The 32 self-service bag drop machines and 16 check-in kiosks can be controlled completely by personal mobile devices without touching the screens. The kiosks allow customers to check-in, receive their boarding pass, choose seats on board and drop off their bags. New services have also been added to allow passengers to make payments for ancillary purchases, such as additional baggage allowance, directly at the kiosks. The self-check-in kiosks, placed at the Economy check-in area in Terminal 3, complement the desks manned by Emirates check-in agents to reduce waiting time for customers during peak periods and improve the experience in Dubai. The service is available to customers traveling to all destinations except to the US, Canada, China, India and Hong Kong. More kiosks are planned for the First and Business Class check-in area.

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) said it is the first large US airport to offer touchless, automated photo identification scanners at all of the airport’s security screening checkpoints, further reducing contact with Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers and enhancing the passenger experience. TSA is now using Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) at every security checkpoint at LAX. When a traveler approaches any document checking podium at the entrance of the security checkpoint, the TSA officer will ask them to insert or scan their own photo ID into a small machine. With CAT, there is no need for travelers to give their photo ID or boarding pass to the TSA officer.

Delta Air Lines passengers traveling through Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport now have a facial recognition option for domestic travelers using a digital ID, which is made up of a passenger’s passport number and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Precheck membership. Beginning in February, customers traveling in the US will be able to use that digital ID—verified by facial recognition technology—to move through the Edward H. McNamara Terminal’s dedicated TSA PreCheck domestic checkpoint. This capability will expand to bag drop and boarding in early 2021, making Detroit the first airport to have a facial recognition option from curb to gate for TSA PreCheck customers traveling domestically. This builds on the Atlanta-based airline’s existing facial recognition option for any customer traveling to an international destination.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) will roll out the first phase of its Single Token Initiative in this year’s first half. The initiative utilizes facial recognition technology to provide passengers with one single-token biometric identification authentication that will take them through the entire airport journey without having to show their boarding passes at all touchpoints from check-in right until the boarding gates. The authentication process is expected to take about five seconds for each passenger at every touchpoint thus shortening the airport journey considerably. The first phase of the technology roll-out is expected to complete in the first half of 2021 where 50 self-check-in kiosks, 20 check-in counters and 56 eGates at security checkpoints and boarding gates at both KUL Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 will be equipped with facial recognition technology.

UAE carriers Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways will become two of the first airlines globally to trial the IATA Travel Pass, which is a mobile app designed to help travelers securely manage their journeys in line with government requirements for COVID-19 testing or vaccine information. Prior to a full roll-out, Emirates will implement a phase 1 trial in Dubai for the validation of COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests before departure. In this initial phase, expected to begin in April, Emirates customers traveling from Dubai will be able to share their COVID-19 test status directly with the airline through the app even before reaching the airport. Etihad, meanwhile, said Jan. 19 that it will initially offer the Travel Pass to guests on selected flights departing Abu Dhabi in the 2021 first quarter. If successful, the pass will be extended to other destinations on the Etihad network.

AtYourGate is rolling out a new contactless pilot program—Piaggio Fast Forward’s innovative robot Gita—to make meal deliveries at San Diego International Airport. Gita follows an AtYourGate employee to the customer, then the employee pushes a button to open Gita’s lid to allow the customer to retrieve the order themselves. “Customers can take their items out of the robot without ever having to come near our people,” AtYourGate founder and CEO PJ Mastracchio said.

Hudson Nonstop will launch Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology at Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL) in the 2021 first quarter, with additional roll-outs planned in North America. Just Walk Out technology allows travelers to quickly enter the Hudson Nonstop store using their credit card, take the products they’re looking for, and then walk out of the store, offering shoppers an innovative walk-through experience. After they leave the store, shoppers are charged for the items they selected and walked out of the store with, eliminating checkout lines.

JetBlue Airways will implement a new seamless testing and verification procedure for customers traveling to Aruba as the New York-based airline, the Aruban government, CommonPass, and the airline’s at-home testing partner, Vault, set plans to work together to streamline travel. Beginning in early 2021, JetBlue customers traveling to Aruba will be able to secure a test from home before travel using Vault’s supervised at-home PCR testing, results will then be securely provided to the customer and confirmation securely sent to CommonPass. Upon entry in Aruba, authorities will simply scan a CommonPass QR code from the customer’s mobile device, proving entry testing requirements have been satisfied.

Air Canada is offering optional facial biometric boarding on flights departing the US to Canada. The technology is available to customers departing San Francisco International Airport (SFO), with plans to progressively roll it out for customers at other US airports where the airline operates. The Montreal-based flag carrier said it is the first Canadian airline to offer the new boarding option utilizing facial biometrics.

Star Alliance and Amadeus launched a partnership aimed at making touchless travel more accessible, at a time when COVID-19 has brought touchless technologies and initiatives aimed at boosting traveler confidence into the spotlight. The partnership allows travelers enrolled in Star Alliance Biometrics or Amadeus Traveler ID to access a growing number of airports where identity verification can be used. Star Alliance Biometrics, which launched in November 2020, allows passengers to pass through curb-to-gate touchpoints within airports– such as check-in kiosks, bag-drop, and boarding gates–using a secure identity management solution featuring facial recognition technology. Amadeus’ data exchange and verification solution Traveler ID connects a passenger's digital ID to any online and biometric portal. In future passengers will be able to use their Traveler ID to access existing or new airports that have implemented the Star Alliance Biometrics solution.

United Airlines passengers will soon have access to virtual, on-demand customer service at the Chicago-based carrier’s hubs, giving people a contact-free option to get real-time information and support. According to United, customers can access “Agent on Demand” on any mobile device to call, text or video chat live with an agent and get answers on everything from seat assignments to boarding times. It is currently available at Chicago O’Hare and Houston’s George Bush International airports and will roll out to United’s hubs by year-end.

Etihad Airways has partnered with information technology company SITA, to trial the use of facial biometrics in order to check in cabin crew at the airlines Crew Briefing Centre at Abu Dhabi International Airport. The trial will run until February 2021 and will use facial recognition technology to identify and authenticate crew members, allowing them to complete check-in procedures and mandatory pre-flight safety and security questions digitally via their own mobile devices. The new initiative will replace the current kiosk-based check-in process which requires crew to use their staff identity cards as a form of authentication.

Lufthansa Group and Swiss International Air Lines is the first to use Star Alliance Biometrics for selected flights. Specific infrastructure is being installed at hub airports Frankfurt and Munich, reaping operational benefits at both locations. The Star Alliance Biometrics service is built upon NEC Corporation’s NEC I:Delight biometric and identity management platform software. The secure service is available at no cost to customers of the Miles & More program who have consented to share their biometric data with stakeholders of their choice during travel.

IATA is in the final development phase of the IATA Travel Pass, a digital health pass that will support the safe reopening of borders. It is the product of cooperation between the organization and International Airlines Group (IAG). The two organizations will undertake a trial—set to begin by year-end—to demonstrate that the platform, combined with COVID-19 testing, can reopen international airways. Crucially, it is aimed at replacing quarantine measures between states, which have had the effect of throttling international travel. If successful, a full-scale launch is planned for Q1 2021.

Delta Air Lines is launching the first facial recognition option for domestic travelers at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, using a digital ID made up of a customer’s passport number and TSA Pre-Check membership, beginning in December. This builds on Delta’s existing facial recognition option for any customer traveling to an international destination.

Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport (FLL) has partnered with Amadeus to facilitate biometric boarding of flights for all international departures. The upgrade delivers a touchless boarding experience whilst complying with U.S. Customs & Border Protection Agency (CBP) requirements for all international travelers to biometrically validate they have departed the country. The modern approach uses facial-recognition technology so that international travelers departing from Fort Lauderdale can now scan their face instead of scanning a boarding pass, delivering touchless boarding experience. Spirit Airlines is the first carrier at FLL to start boarding its international flights using the touchless procedures. Passengers are verified to depart when they step in front of one of new ‘Biopods’ from ICM Airport Technics, an Amadeus company, installed at 14 of Spirit’s traditional departure gates in Terminal 4.

Vision-box deployed its contactless technology, Orchestra Digital Identity Management Platform, for Emirates Airline at Dubai International Airport. The Orchestra Digital Identity Management Platform removes the time-consuming task of manual identification, as passengers do not need to physically interact with potentially exposed touchpoints or exchange travel documents manually at counters. This also reduces long waits at checkpoints and curtails crowding at clearance hotspots, allowing passengers to navigate the airport a lot quicker and safely without the need for interacting with other people, thereby reducing the transmission and exposure to pathogens.

SITA’s new TS6 Automated Border Control (ABC) Kiosks have been developed to accommodate future upgrades and changing requirements, such as the use of new biometric capture devices or the introduction of a printer to provide receipts to travelers. The new EU Entry-Exit System (EES) is designed to ensure robust and consistent checks on travelers along the entirety of Europe’s external borders. SITA’s next-generation solution uses the biometric data captured at its ABC kiosks to expedite processing at the ABC gates, reducing congestion and improving passenger flow while providing high-quality data to governments and border agencies.

In 2017, EPAM Continuum designed a new digital wayfinding design & prototype system for Southwest Airlines to guide its customers through the airport. The system addressed three challenges: Lack of clear and accurate information, excessive gate crowding and the need for more meaningful customer service. The system was tested at Dallas Love Field. Based on customer and employee feedback, EPAM redesigned existing airport signage and added new sign types at key locations throughout the airport.

IT specialist SITA is fast-tracking technology solutions, which are already in place at many airports. SITA platforms include identity management solution SITA Smart Path; mobile-enabled SITA Flex; SITA Airport Management; SITA Border Management and SITA Baggage Management, which serves more than 500 airlines at 2,800 airports; and its Global Connectivity platform.

Bangkok-based Yates and Partners has developed SafeGo—an app that interacts with built-in artificial intelligence (AI) hosts throughout the airport—to provide a contactless journey from the airport curb to the aircraft door. When using the SafeGo app, the only manual input from guests is online check-in. Passport is assimilated by the software from a single photo and distributed with travel data to AI hosts throughout the airport journey. As guests continue through the airport, the app communicates with non-human SafeGo hosts, located at each connecting point: entry door, bag drop, entry to security, entry to immigration, gate and jet bridge boarding access.

ACI World’s Smart Security Vision 2040 sees a future where passengers are screened seamlessly, security is strengthened, and airport facilities and operations are optimized. The vision focuses on emerging trends of more technology, passenger convenience and artificial intelligence (AI) development. Vision 2040 is designed to protect the whole of the airport infrastructure instead of just the aircraft by using different layers of technology.

ANA is the first airline in Japan to use a robotic loader and automated towing tractor to transport baggage for domestic flights. The automated technology was tested on domestic flights at Kyushu Saga Airport. The robotic bag loader’s sensors measure and assess how best to transport the baggage, then picks up the bag and moves it to the cart. An autonomous towing tractor carries the cart to the aircraft.

VINCI Airports introduced Mona, the first travel assistant that uses facial recognition technology, at Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport. Mona is built around a system that uses biometric data and relationship marketing. It allows travelers to set up a customer account by downloading an app to their smartphone. Using facial recognition technology, Mona users can go through the various check points in the airport—from luggage drop off to boarding (with the exception of border control)—without making any physical contact, simply by showing their face.

Hamad International Airport (HIA) launched a trial phase to test happyhover and SITA Mobile Solution technology for contactless self-check-in and baggage drop. The introduction of these advanced smart solutions is part of HIA’s ongoing efforts to safeguard its staff and passengers from COVID-19. In order to preserve the convenience of the kiosks while maintaining the hygienic standards required to curb the spread of COVID-19, the happyhover solution uses infra-red technology to detect fingers as they approach specific area of the screen to accept the intended customer action; eliminating the need to touch potentially infected surfaces.

Currently deployed at Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL), the WelloStationX is a hands-free scanner that also records an individual’s temperature and photo, while printing an “all-clear” ID tag at the same time. It is currently the only FDA approved scanner on the market.

Thales, world leader in digital security, has launched its Identity Verification (IDV) Suite, in response to the rising need of remote client onboarding. The IDV Suite enables a secure and 100%-artificial intelligence (AI) identity verification service. It integrates the latest facial recognition technology, document security features recognition and machine learning engines. The solution addresses the COVID-19 environment with touchless interactions, allowing service providers to reach end users via their mobile handsets or the web.

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is piloting facial recognition technology. As part of a partnership that includes technology provider SITA, a self-service bag drop pilot at DFW Airport is the first in the US to employ CBP’s Traveler Verification System. Beyond safety and efficiency benefits, the SITA Smart Path Bag Drop provides a glimpse of the kinds of automation that will provide travelers more control, faster processing and a seamless, touchless experience.

Electric identity management solutions provider Vision-Box and AirAsia Group entered into a strategic partnership to implement identity management technology across its network of 152 airports. The Vision-Box and AirAsia collaboration will provide a seamless, touchless identification and contactless clearance traveler experience to create a safer, more secure and hygienic airport environment.