In Spain, Vueling has introduced a face recognition system to replace boarding passes for passengers. The "fly by face" system is already operating at five Aena airports in Barcelona. How it works was investigated by the Spanish ON ECONOMIA, reports UNN.
Details
Vueling's facial recognition system is already in operation at the airports of Barcelona, Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, Menorca, and Ibiza.
In addition, the airline announced the installation of a similar tool at Tenerife North and Gran Canaria airports in the coming weeks.
The airline claims that this implementation will allow for faster boarding. After all, thanks to the new system, passengers do not need to take out their documents and show their boarding passes. After passing the first security check, biometric control confirms the identity of each passenger.
The company noted that this system allows their passengers to "go through the entire journey," from security checks to the plane, without having to take out and present their documents or boarding pass.
The new technology not only speeds up boarding, but also improves security from the moment the traveler checks in. The latter can be done through online check-in or at airport counters before departure.
Customers only have to register once, and for subsequent flights they can activate their account after completing the registration. However, as with other identity control systems, the information has an expiration date and will need to be updated from time to time.
Optional
The system was implemented following a pilot test launched in cooperation with Aena two years ago with the airline's passengers on the Barcelona-Malaga route.
However, Vueling notes that technological innovations are always an "additional opportunity" for the traveler, and not an obligation.
We are not going to replace the usual airport cycle, meaning that anyone who wants to come up to the counter and talk to a company assistant will be able to do so.
Vueling's innovation manager recalled that passengers had initial concerns about the introduction of check-in kiosks, but now "most passengers use them" because they avoid queuing at the counter.