Less than three years after the first tests, Delta Air Lines has facial recognition at home in Atlanta. This allows international passengers to board, without showing a boarding pass or passport, directly from the check-in counter to their seat, while their facial features establish their identity.

The airline is now rolling out the "digital identity experience" for international flights at its Atlanta hub, after five years of pilot testing there and at Detroit airport.

Travelers who want to use facial recognition (and keep their papers in their pocket) must have either a TSA PreCheck or a Delta SkyMiles number. Their passport number must also be known to the American authorities.

Flights could board up to ten minutes faster due to the biometric scans, Delta reports.

The facial recognition technology can also be used to check in baggage.

The technology, which in itself is not new, takes a picture of the traveler's face, which is encrypted and sent to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection for a biometric check, after which the traveler can board without hindrance.

--- DB4 - Sep 30 2021
* Origin: AVIATION ECHO HQ (2:292/854)