Your air travel experience is about to change soon. In the near future, you won’t need to check in or show a boarding pass at the airport. Instead, you’ll be able to board a flight simply by showing your face and using a digital ID on your phone. This change is being called the biggest upgrade in air travel in the last 50 years. Led by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the global aviation industry is developing a new system known as “Digital Travel Credentials” (DTC). With this system, face recognition and smartphone-based ID will complete the entire process.
According to aviation experts in the UK, if this new technology is adopted on a large scale, it could be implemented within the next 2 to 3 years. As per The Times, this upgrade means passengers will no longer need to check in or carry a boarding pass. Instead, when booking a flight, travellers will receive a “journey pass” on their phone that contains passport data, seat assignments, and other essential information.
The Biggest Shift in Aviation in 50 Years
Valerie Viale, Director of Product Management at Amadeus—one of the world’s largest travel tech providers—told The Times that this would be the most significant transformation in the aviation industry in five decades.
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What This Means for Passengers
Once fully implemented, the system will eliminate the need for boarding passes, passport checks, and various physical ID verifications. Facial recognition scanners at key touchpoints will identify passengers and notify airlines of their arrival. For passengers with only carry-on bags, facial scans will allow entry without any physical check-in. For those with check-in luggage, identity verification will occur at the bag drop. In both cases, travellers won’t need to present their passport or boarding pass.
Current Process is Complicated
Currently, passengers must check in online or at the airport, enter passport details, and obtain a scannable boarding pass. After the new system is adopted, this entire process will be eliminated, streamlining travel and reducing wait times.