Star Alliance wants half its airline members to use biometrics by 2025

CLEAR Secure

15/09/2022 18:24

By Allison Lampert
    MONTREAL Sept 15 (Reuters) - Star Alliance, the world's
largest airline alliance, wants roughly half its 26 members to
use biometrics technology by 2025, as passenger demand grows for
contactless travel and less airport congestion after COVID-19.
    By increasing the number of airport touchpoints where
passengers can use biometrics technology, such as facial
comparison which allows someone to use their face as a boarding
pass, Star Alliance hopes to reduce processing time through
airport security, baggage drop, departure gates and lounges. 
    The group wants 12 to 15 airlines, or roughly double the
current number, to either use its biometrics strategy or ensure
compatibility, said Christian Draeger, vice president customer
experience.
    In addition to airlines, Star Alliance also hopes the four
European airports that are participating in its biometrics
program will add additional touchpoints, as well as increase the
number of participating airports. 
    "We will definitely need to be heading towards half of our
carriers participating," he said. "But at the same we also need
to increase the network of participating airports."
    It is the first time the alliance, which coordinates
services and projects like digital infrastructure for members,
has outlined a specific target, Draeger told Reuters.
    
    AIR TRAVEL INDUSTRY MOVEMENT
    While not binding, the goal echoes private sector efforts to
validate identities at dedicated lanes ahead of security
checkpoints. Companies like Clear Secure  YOU.N  allow
passengers with paid airport memberships to use their biometrics
technology instead of travel IDs.
    It comes as global experts in Montreal are discussing the
wider use of biometrics to securely replace conventional travel
documents at a United Nations aviation symposium that wraps on
Thursday.
    The U.N. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
sets standards on everything from runway markings to crash
investigations that are usually adopted by its 193 member
countries. 
    But the use of biometrics in travel varies by region due to
different privacy rules and some countries' lack of technical
expertise which make the technology harder to introduce.
    Over the next three years, 38% of airports plan to implement
one biometric token like a face that gets passengers through all
checkpoints, up from 3% a year ago, according to a 2021 report
from air transport communications and IT specialist SITA.
    Star Alliance member United Airlines  UAL.O  said it is
pursuing ways to ease travel through the use of biometrics at
several points throughout the airport.  
    Other uses of biometrics to ease travel have grown over
time. Around 80% of ICAO states now issue e-passports, which
were launched in 2004 and have secure chips with travelers'
photos, said Christiane DerMarkar, technical officer at ICAO's
traveller identification programme who spoke at the symposium.
    Draeger expects when biometrics are used by at least half of
travelers "it's possible to see significant benefits."

 (Reporting By Allison Lampert in Montreal; Additional reporting
by Rajesh Kumar Singh in Chicago; Editing by Josie Kao)
 ((Allison.Lampert@thomsonreuters.com; 514-796-4212; Reuters
Messaging: allison.lampert.reuters.com@reuters.net))