Delta to test facial biometrics for boarding and border control

Tests at 1 ATL gate and 2 at JFK

Facial recognition is fairly routine in Europe and Asia for border control as most epassports in those regions contain facial biometrics. ABC eGates using facial recognition are now almost the default in many countries – for departing and arriving passengers.

As well as using biometrics for border control, biometrics are increasingly being trialled at other stages of the passenger journey through the airport. A number of airlines, including British Airways and KLM, have recently trialed self-boarding using facial recognition.

Now Delta and the CBP are doing trials that combine both into a self-boarding eGate system that combines airline boarding and biometric exit capture capabilities in a single process,

Delta passengers departing Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta airport and New York-JFK for international destinations this summer will be part of a test that captures their biometrics upon exit of the United States at the same time they self-scan their boarding pass before gate boarding.

Delta’s eGate tests, powered by Vision-Box at JFK and NEC at ATL, confirms passenger identity using facial recognition technology and Delta ticketing information in a single, automated, reliable and highly secure solution.

Upon successful screening at JFK, the eGate will open for individual passengers to pass into the boarding area. In Atlanta, a self-contained unit will capture and verify customer’s identity before the customer continues on to boarding.

CBP says it securely manages all the passenger data.

Delta’s JFK test launched June 12 at gate B24, while passengers will start the one-step process in ATL at gates E10 and E12 later this summer.

Other Delta biometric tests

Since June 2016, Delta has been working with CBP and NEC to test biometric exit screening in ATL.

Delta has also been doing trials of biometrics in other parts of the passenger journey at the airport:

N.B. Image credit: Delta

Internet links

Delta (DL)

CBP

Vision-Box

NEC