Germany’s federal cabinet has approved a bill that would create the legal basis for more digital passenger processing at airports, including automated software systems that use biometric patterns for check-in and boarding workflows.
The Federal Ministry of Transport said the proposed amendments would allow airlines to read data from passports and identity cards, particularly from document chips, and use that information for digital check-in processes. The changes would affect the Aviation Act, Passport Act, Identity Card Act, Residence Act, and Freedom of Movement Act for EU citizens.
The ministry said the system would remain voluntary for passengers, with conventional processing continuing as an equivalent option. It also said the digital process would preserve identity and authenticity checks and could make the use of forged passports and identity documents more difficult.
The measure is intended to reduce manual document inspection from check-in through boarding. The ministry estimates that digital passenger handling could reduce waiting time by about 1.1 million hours per year and provide annual relief of roughly 63 million euros.
The proposal fits into a broader European push toward digital and biometric travel infrastructure. Border operators have been preparing for the EU Entry/Exit System, which will replace manual passport stamping with biometric records for many non-EU travelers, while airports continue to deploy biometric eGates and automated checkpoint systems.
Germany’s bill is focused on airline and airport passenger processing rather than border control alone. The ministry said the government is moving the measure ahead before the main travel season so that relief could be expected during the summer, assuming the legislative process proceeds as planned.
The proposal also sits within a wider transport deregulation and digitalization agenda. The ministry framed digital passenger handling as one measure in a package intended to reduce bureaucracy and support more automated transport administration.
The proposed legal changes would also give airlines a clearer basis for using chip-based document data during digital processing, rather than relying only on booking data or visual checks at the airport. The ministry’s proposal keeps manual processing available while allowing airlines to build more automated routes for passengers who choose them.
Sources: Federal Ministry of Transport
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
