Imagine boarding an airplane by showing your face instead of showing your ID. That scenario could soon be a reality, according to experts quoted in a Sunday (Feb. 18) New York Times (NYT) report on the increased use of facial recognition and other biometric technology in the travel sector. Among those experts is Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst for Atmosphere Research, who said 2024 could mark the “tipping point” for the widespread use of biometrics in air travel. That would mean, Harteveldt added, that time-consuming aspects of air travel—security screening, boarding a plane, dropping off luggage—could soon require people to simply show their faces, thus “helping to reduce waiting times and stress for travelers.” The report further said that major U.S. airlines, along with government aviation security agencies, are increasingly investing in facial recognition technology.
Imagine boarding an airplane by showing your face instead of showing your ID. That scenario could soon be a reality, according to experts quoted in a Sunday (Feb. 18) New York Times (NYT) report on the increased use of facial recognition and other biometric technology in the travel sector. Among those experts is Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst for Atmosphere Research, who said 2024 could mark the “tipping point” for the widespread use of biometrics in air travel. That would mean, Harteveldt added, that time-consuming aspects of air travel—security screening, boarding a plane, dropping off luggage—could soon require people to simply show their faces, thus “helping to reduce waiting times and stress for travelers.” The report further said that major U.S. airlines, along with government aviation security agencies, are increasingly investing in facial recognition technology.