American Airlines Looks to Selfie Biometrics for Passenger Processing

American Airlines is trialing a new Mobile ID app that will allow passengers to move through TSA security checkpoints more quickly. The new app is currently being offered to American Airlines AAdvantage members who are registered in the TSA PreCheck program.

In that regard, the Mobile ID is a collaboration between American Airlines and the TSA. To sign up, American Airlines members will first need to download the Airside Digital Identity App, and then take a selfie and a photo of their passport or their driver’s license. They will also need to submit their AAdvantage number to confirm that they are enrolled in the program.

From there, the app will use Thales technology to match the selfie to the ID, and to confirm the authenticity of the document itself. In the case of a passport, Thales can verify the information embedded in an NFC chip. In the case of a driver’s license, it can cross reference the document with information stored in Department of Motor Vehicle registries in multiple states.

Once everything has been approved, the app will generate an American Airlines Mobile ID that can be stored locally on the user’s mobile device. That user can choose when and where they share that ID, and can simply present a QR code on their phone when they wish to do so at an airport. An agent will scan the code, and then ask that person to pause for a quick photo to perform a facial recognition match. The TSA will delete any digital IDs from its readers once the process is complete.

According to American Airlines, the expedited check can be completed in as little as five seconds. The app is compatible with iOS and Android devices, and will eliminate the need to share physical documents at airport security checkpoints. The service is initially being offered at TSA checkpoints at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) , though it will expand to Miami, Phoenix, and Washington Reagan National Airport in the months ahead.

While the Mobile ID uses technology from Thales, American Airlines has previously partnered with Daon to simplify health checks with the VeriFLY mobile app. The TSA, on the other hand, has partnered with IDEMIA to register people in the PreCheck program. American Airlines has piloted mobile and face-based screening solutions in the past, most notably with a digital ID trial that enabled contactless bag drop and lounge entry for passengers at DFW.

(Originally posted on Mobile ID World)