Heathrow Airport pioneers the implementation of facial biometrics

During this year, this London airport has already conducted different tests with biometric technology, but it won't be until the summer of 2019 implementing an end-to-end solution with facial recognition services.

Heathrow is the largest airport in Europe and one of the world's leading international aviation hubs. As the UK's global gateway, receives more than 78 millions of passengers each year, is home to more than 80 airlines and the largest cargo port in the country.

Recently, announced that, from the summer of 2019, large-scale implementation of biometrics services will begin. In this way, will become the first uk airport to install this technology, speeding up passengers' journey from check-in to take-off.

New technology uses facial recognition at check-in, luggage, safety lanes and boarding gates to create an optimal experience for passengers.

The project, which will cost 50 millions of pounds, is part of a broader investment program that seeks to expedite passengers' journey and once completed, Heathrow will have the largest deployment of biometric solutions in the world.

Heathrow has already started using facial recognition in some areas of the airport, as in border control with biometric electronic doors. Also, it is also used for in-country travel through the airport. However, this will be the first time you will use it at every stage of the passenger's journey, from the time you enter the airport until the plane takes off. This allows for greater customization of passenger services and is very useful for those who require additional assistance.

Currently, manual authentication means that passengers must present different forms of identification, as boarding passes, booking numbers and passports to different agents to prove that they are authorized to travel. Having facial recognition technology, they will have the option to simplify that process and significantly reduce the amount of paper.

IATA's research shows that the 64% passengers would choose to share their biometric data in exchange for a better experience when travelling. Facial biometrics are more accurate than manual controls and offer greater safety, demonstrating how technology helps without affecting the passenger experience.

"As the number of passengers passing through our airport grows, we need to look for innovative ways to make it easier and faster for them to travel through Heathrow, while keeping our airport safe. Biometrics is key to helping us do so", explains Jonathan Coen, Heathrow's Director of Service and Customer Relations.

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