Face recognition biometric technology on trial at Perth Airport

International passengers travelling on selected Singapore Airlines flights from Perth Airport have begun using, on a trial basis, new face recognition biometric technology designed to simplify the airport journey.

Perth Airport CEO, Kevin Brown, said the trial, being run in partnership Amadeus and Singapore Airlines, is part of Perth Airport’s move towards greater use of touchless technology and enables a more seamless journey for passengers from check-in to boarding.

“The recently installed self-check-in kiosks and bag drop units enable passengers to check-in and facilitate bag drop independently without the intervention of airline staff – therefore improving passenger flow while reducing processing time and queuing.

“The new facial recognition technology builds on this concept. This process eliminates the need for a physical boarding pass and the passport checks at both the Auto Bag Drop and boarding gate and will reduce the possibility of delays which are sometimes encountered due to manual document checks.

“We have an uncompromising stance on safety and security and the adoption of the new technology enhances our processes while also improving the customer experience and ease of processing by automating passenger identification.

“The passenger experience is paramount, and this technology will allow us to serve more passengers to a higher standard, supporting the growth of our airport.”

Singapore Airlines’ regional vice president for the South West Pacific, Louis Arul, welcomed the opportunity to work closely with long-time partner Perth Airport to trial the new biometric technology.

“For 55 years we’ve enjoyed a strong relationship with Perth Airport, working together to find ways to improve our mutual customer’s travel experience,” he enthused.

“Being part of the trial for new biometric technology at Perth Airport reinforces our commitment to exploring and supporting new technologies that enhance our customer’s experience on the ground and in the sky.

“This is the beginning of a new future for the passenger experience at airports and we look forward to working with Perth Airport to deliver a seamless experience for customers.”  

Amadeus’ senior vice president for airport and airline operations in Asia-Pacific, Sarah Samuel, noted that by applying the latest innovations in biometric identification, Perth Airport is responding to passenger needs with an easier and smoother bag drop and boarding process.

“Automating document checks with biometrics is the biggest near-term opportunity for airports and airlines seeking to simplify how passengers move through the airport,” noted Samuel.

“Amadeus takes an end-to-end approach to biometrics covering the passenger’s entire airport journey, with technology that can be deployed once and easily adopted by any airline.”