Biometrics take off
Background: Biometric technologies enable passengers to link their boarding pass and ID document to their face during their journey within the airport, giving them a smoother experience. Tested for a number of years at Lyon-Saint Exupéry, use of this technology is now stepping up, particularly in Portugal.
The “Biometric Experience by VINCI Airports” innovation project launched in early 2024 at Lisbon and Porto airports, thanks to support from the European Union as part of the NextGenerationEU programme. The first tests were carried out with TAP Air Portugal passengers on flights in the Schengen area selected by the company in advance. Over time, other airlines and destinations will be added, including beyond Europe. Passengers on flights involved in these tests checked in using the “Biometric Experience by VINCI Airports” app on their phone or at the airport. The app digitises passengers’ biometric data, giving them a smoother and quicker boarding experience, without having to show their boarding passes again.
This solution simplifies travel; passengers save time by taking a paperless and contactless pathway, and with total confidentiality guaranteed as all data is deleted after the flight takes off.