Boarding flights can be hassle-free with biometrics

The days of carrying passports and boarding passes while boarding a flight will soon be a thing of past, thanks to a new solution.
SITA is using its extensive airline and airport expertise, to ensure fast and easy implementation for the airport and airline that allows passengers to board at Orlando by simply looking into a camera and is available now to British Airways passengers on flight BA 2036 to London Gatwick.

These British Airways passengers flying from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to London Gatwick enjoy a quick and seamless departure with the new biometric boarding at the gate, courtesy SITA-  the global air transport IT provider.

It is part of a joint initiative by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA), British Airways and CBP to incorporate the US biometric departure. SITA helps provide passengers self-service solutions at every step of the passenger journey from check-in to boarding at airports across the world.

More than 165 airlines use SITA’s passenger processing applications while its common-use systems board more than 100 million passengers per year. Furthermore, it provides border management solutions to more than 40 governments across the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

John Newsome, Chief Information Officer, GOAA, said, “This innovative boarding process is already proving popular with passengers. They simply look at the camera and within seconds the gate opens and they can board the flight. It is easy, fast and most importantly, secure. While we are currently using SITA’s gates for the biometric exit with British Airways, they are common-use boarding gates so they can be easily used by other airlines at MCO.”

“Our customers are always our first priority and we want to make their journey as smooth as possible. Working closely with SITA at Orlando has allowed us to explore various ways of incorporating the US biometric exit check. Together we have designed a really smooth and secure departure process for our customers, including children, as they leave Orlando. This complements the learning and insight we have gained in Los Angeles where a similar technology trial is underway,” Raoul Cooper, Digital Airport Design Manager, British Airways, said.