Perth is claiming to be the first airport in Australia to deliver a biometric check-in process, using technology developed by Amadeus.
The biometric functionalities are designed to speed up the check-in process and provide a smooth and contactless passenger experience.
People traveling on selected airlines will be able to check in and opt for biometrics at self-service kiosks. Their passports and boarding passes will not be required for bag drop and boarding. Instead, a face scan will validate the passenger’s identity and retrieve their travel records.
The project will introduce 95 additional self-service check-in kiosks and 38 new automated bag drops, replacing 40 traditional check-in counters.
Scott Woodward, chief operating officer at Perth Airport, said, “We know that passengers want their departure experience to be hassle free, so by harnessing automation, these upgrades deliver a seamless experience for their journey.
“This provides our airline partners and travelers with the flexibility they need to ensure a smooth and efficient journey for everyone.
“The passenger experience is paramount, and with new automated technologies we can serve more passengers to a higher standard, supporting the growth of our airport.”
Sarah Samuel, senior vice president of airport and airline operations, APAC at Amadeus, added, “Using platform technology and security measures like tokenization, airports can create digital representations of a passenger’s data. Once that’s achieved, all it takes is a couple of seconds to perform a facial scan to validate the passenger at bag drop or boarding.
“This transformational technology is a game-changer for the industry, helping airports and airlines to serve many more passengers within the same physical terminal space, while vastly simplifying the check-in experience.”
This latest project builds on the long-term collaboration between Amadeus and Perth Airport, dating back to 2015 when the airport originally installed Amadeus’s cloud-based passenger processing systems.
The two organizations began experimenting with biometrics in 2022 through a series of trials, which culminated in the decision to apply the technology widely across the airport.
In related news, iProov has announced the deployment of its biometric solutions at US airports