JetBlue introduces biometric boarding at Reagan National Airport

US-based low-cost airline JetBlue Airways has launched a one-step biometric boarding process at Washington Reagan National Airport in collaboration with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

The biometric process has been launched using the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority’s veriScan technology, which has been designed to meet biometric exit screening requirement for outbound international flights.

The system uses facial-recognition technology to streamline passenger verification and boarding on international flights, eliminating the need for paper boarding passes.

Being the first airline to deploy the veriScan technology in a one-step configuration, JetBlue was able to carry out the boarding process for 93 passengers in just ten minutes.

The system enabled the verification of each passenger at an average of 5.5 seconds both by the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and JetBlue’s departure control system.

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority vice-president and chief information officer Goutam Kundu said: “The veriScan system has become a critical tool for our airline partners as we work to enhance safety, efficiency and convenience at the airport.

“The biometric boarding system developed for use at Reagan National and Dulles International has gained the attention and support of other airlines and airports because it is cost effective, easy to deploy and allows passengers to board flights faster and easier than ever.”

Currently, veriScan’s facial capture technology is being used to board passengers travelling from the Ronald Reagan National Airport to Nassau in Bahamas.

The system can be used through a software installed on a portable tablet, encrypts and transmits high-resolution photos of passengers boarding international flights to the CBP Traveler Verification Service to facilitate quick identity verification.