Tokyo’s Narita International Airport is testing a new biometric process for the journey from check-in to boarding, using technology from Amadeus and Japanese technology company NEC Corp.
The process requires passengers to check in at one of Narita’s new biometric kiosks, which captures their facial image and matches it against their passport. From there, they can drop off luggage at an automated baggage drop point that verifies their identity by camera. Cameras at security checkpoints and boarding gates also verify passengers’ identities, making it unnecessary for passengers to show paper documents.
ICM Airport Technics, an Amadeus company, is supplying the kiosks and baggage drop units to Narita, and NEC is supplying facial recognition software. The process is based on the International Air Transport Association’s One ID concept, and NEC plans to help other airports in Japan adopt the standard, according to NEC project manager Takumi Otani.