Passengers travelling through JFK with JetBlue can now benefit from a more streamlined journey thanks to the deployment of Collins Aerospace’s SelfPass biometric solution at Terminal 5.
Bristol Airport in England and Dublin Airport in Ireland are also trialling the solution, which is believed to be the first biometric solution that enables passengers to use a single enrollment in multiple countries. Passengers register their details once and then use the solution every time they travel.
Speaking at this week’s Passenger Terminal Expo and Conference, Tony Chapman, Collins Aerospace’s director, global product management and strategy information management services, said: “Users can enroll off site using a mobile device or website to upload their biographical data and then add the biometric data when they get to the first touchpoint at the airport. This biometric profile can then be reused for bag drop, at the security checkpoint, for lounge access and for boarding the aircraft for that and any future journey. We believe it is one of the world’s first total end-to-end solutions that covers not just one airport but multiple airports, multiple journeys, multiple airlines and multiple countries.”
Meanwhile, Christopher Forrest, vice president of Global Airport Systems for Collins Aerospace noted that “Dublin and Bristol airports are changing the way passengers travel and making the process easier and more efficient. It takes less than one second to capture and process a passenger’s facial image and eliminates the need to repeatedly present travel documents.
“We see this as another leap forward for our biometric technology to play a key role in making the connected aviation ecosystem a reality.”
At Bristol Airport the trial will biometrically enable multiple touchpoints including: check-in, self-bag drop, security, boarding gates and at airport lounges
“The passenger growth at Bristol Airport is increasing, and we are looking at using technology like the Collins Aerospace biometric solution set to help make our airport a high-quality experience for our customers,” said Graeme Gamble, chief operating officer for Bristol Airport. “The cooperation of Collins and the Bristol Airport team is making Bristol a leader in Airport innovation and customer service.”
Collins Aerospace has also launched its SelfDrop R-series bag drop solution. The fully modular R-series is a modern refit design that completely replaces existing check-in desks. Fully enclosed and featuring security features, such as intrusion detection and a physical door to prevent unauthorised objects from being inserted into the baggage system, the system seamlessly integrates with the airport baggage system. It also enables passengers to enjoy more space and easy access for tagging and dispatching their bags.
Chapman highlighted that “It is fully autonomous and is fully integrated with SelfPass biometric validation so that the correct passenger is dropping their own bag.”
