SITA wins award for biometric boarding technology
SITA has won the Aviation Technology Achievement award at Air Transport World’s 2018 Annual Airline Industry Achievement Awards. The award was given for SITA’s work with JetBlue and the US…
SITA has won the Aviation Technology Achievement award at Air Transport World’s 2018 Annual Airline Industry Achievement Awards. The award was given for SITA’s work with JetBlue and the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to deliver a new secure, paperless and deviceless self-boarding process, using biometric technology.
The technology is hailed as the world’s first biometric boarding system using just a facial scan to board passengers while also completing the US customs and border exit checks. Working with JetBlue and the CBP, at Boston’s Logan International Airport, SITA demonstrated that biometric technology can reduce friction points in the airport experience including at boarding, where integrating checks with government systems is one of the hardest challenges to solve.
The technology eliminates any boarding pass scanning and passport checks – passengers just need to look into the camera for a quick photo. The integration of the airline and government systems by SITA showed how passengers can enjoy a seamless experience, while demonstrating how airlines and government border agencies can work together to enhance security.
Barbara Dalibard, CEO of SITA, said: “Our vision is to make air travel easy, for airlines, airports and, ultimately, for passengers. Integrating biometrics with the industry’s existing infrastructure, IT systems and processes, along with multiple security and border control systems, can be complex but it delivers a remarkably simple solution. Our work with JetBlue and the US CBP shows how SITA delivers secure and seamless travel to the industry today.”
The ATW Awards will be presented at The Mansion House in Dublin, Ireland on 27 March 2018.
Last year, Dubai Airport revealed plans to replace security booths with face-scanning virtual fish tanks. The smart tunnels will replace security lines and e-gates. They will display images, such as an aquarium, and will be equipped with about 80 cameras.
