KLM tests facial recognition to speed up boarding

In Amsterdam, KLM is trialing a facial recognition service that speeds up the boarding process.

In recent months we’ve seen facial recognition technology used by many different industries, from a travel company gauging tourist’s interests in different activities to a tv ratings agency using facial recognition to monitor politicians’ tv coverage on major networks. It’s even being used to create more emotionally aware chatbots. Now KLM airlines have teamed up with Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport and are using facial recognition technology to test ways to speed up the boarding process and improve airport security.

The test will take place at a selected gates at KLM’s hub, lasting just three months. The trial requires passengers to register in advance and then scan boarding passes, passports and faces at the special kiosk. The service eliminates the need for boarding passes at the security checkpoints and identity checks, letting members go directly through to security screenings. The trial is designed to test the system’s speed, reliability and user-friendliness.

Airports and airlines worldwide are exploring the use of new technologies to help passengers move through terminals more quickly and deal with the risks associated with international travel. Could this technology also be applied to banking services?