Delta Air Lines has officially launched the first phase of an innovation program that will see the implementation of biometric boarding at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta.
Phase one is expected to run for three months, and will see the introduction of innovations like automated e-gates that can scan mobile boarding passes, and handheld mobile devices that Delta agents can use to make seat changes on the fly.
Things will get really interesting in phase two of the program, in which Delta is aiming to introduce a biometric boarding system. Such a system is already being trialed at the Reagan Washington National Airport, allowing passengers to scan their fingers in lieu of presenting a boarding pass; and the airline says that the Atlanta project will be based on that effort.
Delta has been a prominent collaborator with the TSA and the US Customs and Border Control agency as they have experimented with biometric passenger screening in the US. While the government agencies are interested in the technology primarily for the purpose of enhanced security, Delta evidently sees an opportunity to improve efficiency and the customer experience – a view shared by an increasing number of airline and airport authorities around the world.
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July 28, 2017 – by Alex Perala
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