CBP and JetBlue test SITA’s facial recognition technology at Boston airport

Technology company SITA has successfully completed trials of its facial recognition biometric technology at the JetBlue boarding gate in Boston Logan International Airport.

The biometric scanning technology is said to have offered a pleasant and seamless travel experience to passengers.

SITA will continue to work with the airline and the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in this programme.

JetBlue Customer Experience executive vice-president Joanna Geraghty said: “SITA’s role as our technology partner helped us bring this innovative approach to boarding from an idea to reality.

“SITA was able to quickly and effectively support both our requirements and the specification of CBP. We could not be happier with the results of this trial and hope to work with SITA in future iterations of our self-boarding programme.”

Having commenced in June, the biometric boarding trial programme on JetBlue flights travelling from Logan International Airport allowed airline customers to complete their exit checks by simply stepping up to a camera without needing to produce any boarding pass, passport or other documents.

US CBP Office of Field Operations deputy executive assistant commissioner John Wagner said: “Working with industry partners like JetBlue allows us to explore the best use of technology to implement biometric exit checks while improving the passenger experience.

“The integrated and frictionless solution devised with the airline and SITA is proving a success for everyone – the airline, the passengers and CBP. We look forward to continued work with JetBlue and SITA.”

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Image: SITA’s facial recognition biometric exit check technology. Photo: courtesy of SITA.