Taiwan’s two major airlines yesterday said that they are better able to address the COVID-19 risk in airports with a facial recognition system that enables touchless boarding.
EVA Airways Corp (長榮航空) said that it began offering the service yesterday on flights from San Francisco to Taiwan as part of the US Biometric Exit Program, which collects biometric information from travelers.
The program gives passengers the option of having their facial images taken at boarding gates, which must match their boarding pass information and biometric profile stored by US Customs and Border Protection.
Photo courtesy of EVA Airways Corp
Program participants no longer need to scan their boarding passes at gates, speeding up the boarding process and reducing the risk of physical contact, EVA said.
However, infants and passengers who need special assistance would still need to board in the traditional manner, it said.
EVA said that it plans to expand the service to seating, checked-in luggage, security checks and the use of VIP lounges, making air travel safer and more convenient during the COVID-19 pandemic.
China Airlines Ltd (CAL, 中華航空) said that it began using the facial recognition system on flights from New York in July and on flights from San Francisco in September.
However, the system is still coupled with manual checks by airline staff, CAL said, adding that it would be upgraded further and introduced in airports such as Los Angeles and Hong Kong.
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