Travelers Show Interest in DTCs as Comfort with Biometrics Dips in SITA Report

SITA has issued its “2024 Passenger IT Insights” report, offering insights into how identity technologies are transforming the travel experience.

One of the most notable trends is the increasing reliance on digital and mobile technologies throughout the passenger journey. With 90 percent of travelers using technology for booking, and a growing preference for mobile devices, the report shows a significant shift towards digital travel credentials (DTCs) and biometrics for faster and more secure travel experiences.

Passengers are increasingly open to adopting these credentials, with 75 percent of travelers indicating comfort in storing their passport on their phone, and 73 percent being comfortable sharing digital identity and biometrics before traveling. Younger travelers, in particular, show a stronger preference for this technology, with more than 90 percent of those aged 18-44 viewing DTCs as useful. This acceptance extends to their willingness to pay for DTC-related services, with 62 percent of passengers interested in paying for a service that issues DTCs, and 26 percent stating they would be “very interested.”

While only 28 percent of passengers would trust a private company as much as a government entity to issue a DTC, an additional 42 percent say they would be open to a private company handling this responsibility, though with some reservations. This means that nearly 70 percent of travelers are at least open to trusting a non-government entity for DTCs.

Biometric tech also clearly offers an important solution to pain points at the airport. Travelers identify “long waiting lines” and “delays” as major frustrations, with 64 percent of passengers specifically wanting shorter airport wait times. Biometrics, through facial recognition and digital identity verification, offers a solution to these issues by enabling faster and more efficient processing at key touchpoints like boarding, bag drop, and border control.

However, the adoption of biometric technologies faces challenges, largely centered around privacy and data security concerns. The report notes a decline in comfort with biometrics, with average passenger comfort scores dropping from 7.4 to 6.7 (out of 10) across different travel stages, including security and identity verification. Travelers cite concerns about data privacy (49 percent), identity theft or fraud (47 percent), and data misuse (44 percent) as primary reasons for hesitancy.

To gain broader acceptance, the aviation industry will need to invest in educating passengers about the safety and benefits of biometric systems. The report suggests that despite current reservations, the long-term outlook for biometrics remains strong, as it holds significant potential to ease airport congestion and improve overall travel efficiency.

Source: SITA

–

September 23, 2024 – by the ID Tech Editorial Team