Passenger biometrics will ease airport processing — DOTr exec

“The future is now. Biometrics passenger processing will significantly make the Philippine airport experience more pleasant [and] more efficient,” Lim said.

A single token created from the passenger’s biometric facial scan, the boarding pass and a biometric data embedded ID such as passport will allow a passenger to breeze through the airport entrance, check-in, final boarding pass check to airside, and boarding.

During the forum, participants from the country’s airport operators were provided with a full view of the benefits of implementing the process and technologies in airports as gleaned from the international reference sites.

Those who joining from the Philippines include representatives from various government agencies including the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC), Davao International Airport Authority (DIAA), and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP). Meanwhile, GMT-Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC) and Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corporation (LIPAD) represented the private sector.

Airport operators such as CAAP and DIAA are looking into a pilot operation as local stakeholders await the implementation of the process and technology in action to improve passenger comfort, accessibility, and security through the departure process.

Also present during the forum were representatives from major airlines Philippine Airlines (PAL), Cebu Pacific Air (CEB), Philippine Air Asia, Bureau of Immigration (BI), and other ground handling companies.

Resource persons from technology firms Amadeus, Collins Aerospace, Idemia, SITA, and VisionBox discussed topics of data privacy, biometric sources, and interoperability.