Air Canada biometric boarding at Vancouver for domestic flights

From 03 December, Air Canada passengers at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) can use biometric boarding for almost all domestic flights.

Following a successful pilot project on select flights, Air Canada and YVR are the first in Canada to invest in the technology and equipment to provide this option to passengers.

To use the system, passengers have to register their biometric and other details in advance with Air Canada’s app.

They can then board at the gate without showing a boarding pass or ID as the egates scan their face and check the live details with those the airline already has.

Biometric checks are also available for passengers to enter Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounges in Toronto (YYZ), Calgary and San Francisco, as well as the Air Canada Café in Toronto.

The airline plans to introduce the biometric boarding system at more boarding gates and touchpoints in future.

How it works

Air Canada has a video showing how it works>

Privacy and security

Air Canada says its digital identification system is strictly an optional, consent-based Air Canada program.

Passengers control when they share biometric and other personal information with Air Canada.

Those passengers who do not wish to use biometric boarding can board as normal by presenting their boarding pass and government-issued photo ID for manual ID check and processing.

Why use Air Canada’s biometric boarding?

Air Canada says the benefits are:

experience faster, seamless boarding using Air Canada’s Digital ID.
there’s no need to search for your phone, boarding pass, or physical ID.
simply walk up to the camera screen, and your identity is confirmed in seconds, reducing wait times and simplifying the travel experience.
customers utilizing Digital ID will be among the first to board the aircraft and get settled in sooner.
Digital ID introduces a new level of ease when boarding, making your travel experience more connected and hassle-free.

Some of this is nonsense:

the aircraft leaves when all are on board.
passengers don’t board faster, the airline uses less staff.
passengers still get stuck in a big line between the boarding gate and their seat.
it is not hard to show a boarding pass and ID at a gate

Will passengers be ‘encouraged’ to use biometric boarding?

Air Canada’s press release says this:

Faster Boarding: With Air Canada’s Digital ID, there’s no need to search for your phone, boarding pass, or physical ID. Simply walk up to the camera screen, and your identity is confirmed in seconds, reducing wait times and simplifying the travel experience. Customers utilizing Digital ID will be among the first to board the aircraft and get settled in sooner.

Note that they say:

Customers utilizing Digital ID will be among the first to board the aircraft and get settled in sooner.

So will they force passengers to do biometric boarding? Or put non biometric passengers in group 12? Or charge them more like paying for a seat?

Air Canada Digital Identification

The new facial recognition system is part of Air Canada’s Digital Identification program.

The program allows passengers to travel hands-free through select airport identity verification checkpoints without needing to show a boarding pass or government ID.

AC’s digital identification captures the facial biometrics and creates a token. Various touchpoint and other points can use the information.

Airlines, airports and partners can also then use the data for more commercial reasons.

IATA One ID – The future for biometrics at airports

IATA OneID is an industry program and has a lot of information about the future plans for biometric tokens.

When the passenger registers, the airport system creates a token and that is used at all points like boarding. That token is a simple sounding word but that token contains a huge amount of data about the passenger, including the biometrics.

Self-service check-in, self bag drop and boarding are the start for the biometric token.

Airlines, airports, governments and private companies will use it extensively in the near future at all touchpoints including departure, transfers and arrivals.

Specific touchpoints include: