After a successful introductory phase, the Star Alliance biometric face field recognition system has been launched at Hamburg Airport.
Passengers enrolled in the Miles & More loyalty programme and travelling on Austrian, SWISS and Lufthansa airlines will be able to take advantage of contactless security and boarding, without the need for a boarding pass or smartphone.
To use the system, eligible passengers need to register for Star Alliance Biometrics at least 24 hours before their flight using a valid passport and the latest version of the Lufthansa or Miles & More App. Once registered, they can pass through the central security checkpoint and boarding gates A17 and C16 without contact. Their face is automatically captured by a camera and compared with the stored image. If there is a positive match, the entrances open automatically. Travellers can retain their facemasks, which they currently have to wear in the terminal for health protection.
The Star Alliance platform is being used in the Frankfurt, Munich and Vienna hubs and, once registered, passengers can use biometric access at all participating airports.
The system is powered by the NEC I: Delight facial recognition technology developed by Japan's NEC Corporation. Personal data such as photos and other identifiers are encrypted and stored securely within the platform in compliance with applicable data protection laws.
