Gallery: Contactless Travel Gains Momentum
Linda Blachly
KUL to roll out Single Token Initiative
Photo credit: KULKuala 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.
Emirates, Etihad to trial IATA Travel Pass
Photo credit: Emirates AirlineUAE 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 tests robot to aid contactless airport food delivery
Photo credit: AtYourGateAtYourGate 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 Rolls Out Contactless Shopping at DAL
Photo credit: HudsonHudson 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 partners to offer seamless travel to Aruba
Photo credit: CommonPassJetBlue 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 launches biometric boarding
Photo credit: Air CanadaAir 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, Amadeus partner on touchless travel
Photo credit: Traveler ID by AmadeusStar 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 launches contactless virtual assistance at selected airports
Photo credit: United Airlines/CisonUnited 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, SITA to trial facial biometrics at Abu Dhabi
Photo credit: EtihadEtihad 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 uses biometrics
Photo credit: Biometric Visual Desktop/Lufthansa GroupLufthansa 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 develops digital travel pass
Photo credit: IATAIATA 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 introduces first domestic digital identity test in US
Photo credit: Delta Air LinesDelta 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 airport, Amadeus partner on biometric boarding
Photo credit: AmadeusFort 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 provides contactless travel at Dubai airport
Image credit: vision-boxVision-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 steps up border solutions for EU Schengen Zone
Image credit: SITASITA’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.
Southwest Airlines Digital Wayfinding Design & Prototype
Photo credit: EPAM ContinuumIn 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.
SITA biometric boarding
Photo credit: SITAIT 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.
SafeGo to provide contactless airport journey
Photo credit: Yates and PartnersBangkok-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 Smart Security Vision 2040
Photo credit: ACI WorldACI 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 tests robotic loader for domestic flights
Photo credit: ANA Snapshot/screenshotANA 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 launches Mona facial-recognition travel assistant
Photo credit: VINCI AirportsVINCI 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 Trials Touchless Solutions
Photo credit: Hamad International Airport/FacebookHamad 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.
Dallas Love Field uses FDA-approved automated thermal system
Photo credit: WelloCurrently 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 launches biometric identity verification
Photo credit: ThalesThales, 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.
DFW, SITA trial biometric technology
Photo credit: DFW AirportDallas 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.
Vision-Box, AirAsia to partner on touchless, digital travel management
Photo credit: Vision-BoxElectric 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.
Touchless technology and a push to digitization have risen to the top of airport agendas in a rush to protect the health and restore confidence of passengers in the pandemic era. And technology innovators, which had already begun developing and rolling out parts of the end-to-end digital experience, all agree COVID-19 is pushing innovation even harder.
