Skift Take
Business travelers are embracing the increasing use of facial-recognition software and fingerprint reading at airports to speed lines, but privacy advocates raise concerns about the security of information and its potential use.
At five airports across the U.S., travelers departing on some international flights are being asked to stick their faces in front of a camera before boarding the plane. The machine takes a photo and compares it with a database of images of people who are supposed to be on the flight. If the software finds a match, the person proceeds to board. If it doesn’t, the traveler gets additional screening from a security officer.
The facial-recognition program run by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in its pilot stage but likely to expand next year, aims to increase security and keep lines moving. Those are two important goals for harried business travelers.
Corporate travel groups generally have supported the pilot program, while noting that it is in an early stage and that travelers’ personal information has to be tightly guarded. And the U.S. government's pilot program is just one of an increasing number of efforts around the globe to use biometric information for security screening.
“The truth is, I’d be willing to put a chip in my arm if I never had to wait in line,” said Craig Fichtelberg, co-founder and president of Chicago-area travel management company AmTrav Corporate Travel. “I definitely think business travelers will be the first adopters, in the same way that they were for TSA PreCheck and similar programs.”
For frequent flyers who are more concerned
