Air Canada Launches Facial Recognition Boarding for Domestic Flights

Air Canada has unveiled a major advancement in its digital services by expanding its digital identification program to incorporate facial recognition boarding for domestic flights, building on its initial pilot program at Vancouver International Airport for Toronto-bound flights. The technology is designed to offer passengers a quicker and more streamlined boarding experience while adhering to Transport Canada’s biometric implementation guidelines.

As the first Canadian airline to implement facial recognition for domestic flights, Air Canada enables passengers to verify their identities within seconds at camera-equipped gates, removing the necessity for physical IDs or boarding passes. The implementation aligns with the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) One ID initiative, which aims to create seamless passenger experiences through digital identity management.

The new digital ID system has been rolled out at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) for domestic flights across Canada, including major destinations such as Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, and Ottawa. This expansion builds upon YVR’s existing digital transformation efforts, which include cloud-based operations through the Amadeus Flow solution. The integration enables a fully contactless boarding process that can process passengers in 2-3 seconds while maintaining strict privacy standards under Canadian personal information protection laws.

The implementation comes as the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) increases its use of facial recognition and mobile applications for border processing. Air Canada’s system includes privacy-preserving features such as immediate encryption of biometric data, automated deletion after flight completion, and explicit opt-in requirements for passengers. The airline has worked closely with privacy regulators to ensure compliance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and provincial privacy legislation.

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November 28, 2024 – by Cass Kennedy