New face biometric boarding system launched at Qatar airport

A new face ID system has launched at Qatar’s main airport that allows passengers to use their faces as boarding passes when boarding a Qatar Airways flight.

The Middle Eastern airline has launched “Fast Pass”, a facial recognition system that allows passengers to use their face rather than a paper or digital boarding pass as they move through Hamad International airport in Doha.

Similar to unlocking your phone with Face ID, Fast Pass uses biometric verification to allow passengers through self-boarding and airport security gates, as well as the self-service bag drop.

The Fast Pass can be enabled on the Qatar Airways app after checking in and ahead of travelling to the airport. It can also be activated at self-service kiosks at Hamad International.

Once the Fast Pass is enabled, data about the journey is shared with the airport, creating a digital document linked biometrics with baggage details and journey information.

Data will only be available to the airport for as long as it takes to complete a trip and is deleted 24 hours after the passenger’s flight departs.

Fast Pass data will still be stored on the passenger’s phone, meaning that setting up the system only needs to happen once and can be used on multiple Qatar Airways trips from Hamad International.

Passengers will still need to bring their passports for immigration in case the biometric cameras are unable to verify the information.

Participation is also optional, with standard processing still available.

Hamad International said the new biometric system will only take seconds and will reduce document checks and wait times, particularly during busy periods.

Fast Pass is only available at Hamad International, meaning that Qatar Airways flights from other destinations will require a boarding pass.

The airport said that it will look into partnering with other airlines in the future to roll out the technology for more passengers.

This is not the first time an airline or airport has used new biometric technology to try to streamline the boarding process right from check-in to getting on the plane.

Emirates has similarly launched facial recognition at Dubai International airport, while “Face Express” is available at Haneda and Narita airports in Japan.

Airlines travelling from the United States also make use of the TSA PreCheck Touchless ID at 65 of its airports, which uses facial comparison technology to allow passengers to enter a separate queue at security without having to show physical documentation.

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