KLM Testing Facial Recognition Technology for Boarding

KLM has started testing biometric face-scanning technology for the next three months (with the possibility of an extension) at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport (AMS) in an effort to speed up the airline's boarding process and improve security.

Scanners installed just outside the jetway can confirm a passenger's identity before getting on the plane, eliminating the need to show a boarding pass or passport immediately before boarding. Although, passengers still need to register to use this technology to board — a process that involves scanning passports as well as faces at a registration kiosk prior to entering the gate area. The trial technology will only be used at one specially-selected gate, and KLM claims that all personal data will be erased from the registration kiosk after 10 hours.

The use of biometric technology in hopes of expediting security screening is becoming more common. For example, Clear uses fingerprint and iris scans to expedite the security process at several airports in the US, and several countries now use fingerprint scans to improve security at their borders.

Schiphol and KLM have partnered on other initiatives to streamline various airport operations, like a current trial that allows passengers to leave their laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags while going through security.