Passing control at the airport without a passport, storing travel documents in a digital wallet and many other measures to simplify travel are being introduced at the world's largest airports. Learn how biometric technology is changing the travel industry

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Is it possible to board a flight even without showing a passport, ID or ticket at the airport? Very soon it will become our reality. Airports in various countries are competing to be the first to introduce new technologies, trying to make the travel experience easier for tourists and abolishing passport requirements at security checkpoints.

We talk about the changes that biometric technologies bring to the tourism industry in our new article.

How soon can the world of air travel change?

It is possible to abolish the requirement to present a passport at checkpoints if new security systems that work using biometric technologies are introduced. They can replace the standard facial verification procedure, because special sensors will be able to carry out the control. You can achieve such a result if you update your security systems to the most innovative ones. There are already three airports in the world that are ready to introduce new control technologies.

- Changi Airport, Singapore

Singapore's main hub is aiming to become the first airport in the world to use automated passenger screening systems. It is planned that travelers will no longer need to show tickets or passports. The registration process will be carried out using an authentication token check.

Testing of the passport-free migration control system began on August 5, 2024. As part of the trial, Singaporeans arriving at Terminal 3 and using lanes designated for the new "tokenless admission" program can enter the country using eye and facial biometrics instead of passports.

According to Singaporean authorities, the program will be rolled out in all Changi Airport terminals by September, as well as in Singapore's Seletar Airport and Marina Bay Cruise Center by December 2024.

- Zayed International Airport, Abu Dhabi, UAE

The UAE airport has unveiled its plan to launch flights without a passport, ID or even a ticket by 2025. For this purpose, the Smart Travel Project was created here, the purpose of which is to install biometric sensors at every checkpoint of the airport, from check-in desks to immigration booths, duty-free counters, airline lounges and boarding gates. Such technology will allow, at any stage where a document may be required, to verify the identity of the passenger and the status of the trip using a facial or iris recognition system.

The airport has teamed up with the UAE government for this initiative. In Abu Dhabi, the technology is already being used in some parts of the airport, including flights operated by partner airline Etihad. However, it is planned to extend the technology to all airport passengers.

According to the new innovative system, passengers will be automatically identified when moving through the airport, which will significantly speed up the process of passing control.

- Heathrow Airport, Great Britain

Europe's airports are also not standing still and are making some efforts to facilitate travel. In particular, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in cooperation with British Airways is introducing a new control system at Heathrow Airport.

The first test flight has already taken place from Heathrow to Rome, with passengers storing their passport, visa and e-ticket in a digital wallet.

Given that Heathrow Airport is recognized as one of the busiest airports in the world, such innovations will be very important for passengers flying from here.

Biometric terminals have also been launched as a trial measure at Hong Kong, Tokyo Narita, Tokyo Haneda and Indira Gandhi International Airports in Delhi.

We will remind you! The European Union obliged all airports from September 1, 2024 to return restrictions on the transportation of liquids in hand luggage. According to the new rules, the permissible volume will be 100 ml of liquid, including aerosol and gel containers. Read more about the new requirement in this article.

To move, travel or work safely in a new country, you will need travel insurance. You can apply for an extended policy on our website here.

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