COVER STORY
Eye of the beholder Iris recognition authenticates airport IDs by Mohammed Murad
O
fficials have long sought fast, accurate and convenient security tools for safely moving passengers through crowded airports. However, the COVID-19 pandemic acted as a speed bump to international air travel, reducing last year’s passenger total by half compared to an all-time 2019 peak. However, those numbers again are rising and anticipated to meet or exceed pre-pandemic levels in 2023. As passengers return, airports
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and government agencies must deploy systems that assist travelers to safely navigate the terminal from the curb to the boarding gate. It’s time for airports to undergo a technology makeover to eliminate the need for passengers to arrive at an airport two to three hours before takeoff. Biometric-based solutions are ideal for a crowded, fast-paced airport environment. Several factors contribute to airports’ growing demand for biometrics, including
reduced costs for mature and proven technologies. Airport officials see biometrics as game-changers that provide rapid and accurate identity authentication. Also, passengers are increasingly familiar with biometrics as most smartphones use them to authenticate user identities. Adding biometrics throughout many airport processes eliminates a passengers’ need to fumble with an identification card, passport and boarding pass. Beginning at baggage check-in, a kiosk-based biometric
