Contactless biometrics and automation were already increasingly important to airport operations before the pandemic, but could be critical as passengers return with additional requirements and concerns, according to members of a panel at the World Aviation Festival.
‘How will automation, enabled by biometrics and contactless technologies become more important than ever in this COVID-19 era?’ was moderated by Pangiam VP Simon Wilcox.
Vision-Box Evangelist Jeff Lennon says biometrics and automation means “the equilibrium between security and facilitation” to the company, and that it was able to put that vision into place at borders with the help of forward-thinking partners. He also noted the importance of the end-to-end Aruba Happy Flow project.
Panelists also included representatives from Aeroporti di Roma, Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport, IGA Istanbul Airport, Japan Airlines and LocusLabs. They discussed the gains that had been made in processing times pre-pandemic, and the opportunity to improve airport infrastructure before passenger volumes return to normal.
The use of face biometrics for individual checkpoints and as a single travel token was discussed, as well as digital wallets for health status credentials.
Istanbul Airport has been using smart helmets with thermal body temperature scanners as part of its hygiene enhancement plan, as it attempts to scale back towards previous volumes. Communicating changes in airport policy and infrastructure has required additional automated communication capabilities as well, panelists noted. QR codes may play a significant role in this task.
On digital health passes, confusion dominates the market, although the various solutions on the market, with sufficient alignment, could soon meet a vital need, panelists observed.
Lennon praised the IATA Travel Pass’ use of the ICAO Digital Travel Credential layer and the Visual Digital Seal (VDS), which use existing aviation systems…