Delta Air Lines to Launch Nation’s First Facial Recognition Airport Terminal

Delta Air Lines to Launch Nation’s First Facial Recognition Airport Terminal

The terminal will be deployed at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and will allow travelers to use facial recognition instead of their passports to pass through checkpoints at the airport.

Delta Air Lines plans to deploy what it calls a “biometric terminal,” the nation’s first, at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Delta plans to use the technology at check-in, the security checkpoint and at Customs processing.

The biometrics terminal will be located at Maynard H. Jackson International Terminal and use facial recognition. The initiative is similar to what has already been in place in airports like Singapore Changi airport, which opened a biometric terminal last fall.

Delta says that facial recognition can save up to nine minutes of time during boarding.

“We’re scaling first in Atlanta at Concourse F, and as we get experience with that we’re going to look to scale it throughout our system ultimately,” said Gil West, chief operating officer of Delta. “We think it will, over time, become the norm in the travel experience.”

The new biometric terminal will not affect domestic flyers, and international travelers will still need to show their physical passport at the TSA checkpoints. Passengers will have the option to opt-out of the facial recognition. The TSA will also soon launch a new scanner at the same terminal, allowing passengers to pass through two automated screening lanes without taking items out of their bags to be checked.

Privacy advocates have warned of risks associated with using facial scans for security, and also of the worrying implications of large-scale biometric scanning for something as common as air travel.

About the Author

Jordan Lutke is an intern with 1105 Media.

Featured

New Products

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.