The European airline industry and software suppliers have outlined
plans to develop a global system that uses biometric technology to
fast-track frequent-flyers through airport security checks.
The secure travel initiative, s-travel, aims to boost passenger
confidence and reduce check-in times.
The groundbreaking project which will be partly funded by the
European Commission, will see the first mass market use of
controversial biometric technology.
Under the plans, frequent-flyers will carry smartcards storing
personal biometric information, and security devices will measure
their physical characteristics - eyes, fingerprints or faces - to
confirm identities. Digital certificates will also be used.
Computer Weekly has learnt that the system is due to be tested
later this year on Alitalia passengers travelling between Milan and
Zurich. Analysts estimate that a full roll-out would cost tens of
millions of pounds.
The project will be managed by the airline industry IT supplier
Sita, and industry group the International Air Transport
Association. If the pilot project is a success the aim is to roll
it out globally to every major airline and airport. Contracts and
funding arrangements have yet to be concluded.
The initiative, submitted to the European Commission earlier this
year, follows the 11 September terror attacks in the US and a slump
in demand for air travel.
The smartcard technology will be developed by Gemplus, the
smartcard specialist, while the biometric technology will be
designed by Keyware, a specialist technology supplier.
The project's leaders claimed its international scale marked a
breakthrough for biometric technology and smartcards.
"This is important because it is being co-ordinated across borders
by the European Commission. It is bringing together various types
of technology to ease passengers' progress through the airport
without compromising security," said Catherine Meyer,
vice-president of industry relations at Sita.
While individual airports, including Heathrow, are testing iris
recognition systems there has yet to be an industry-wide attempt to
establish a common system for biometric technology.
Details of approved smartcard holders, including biometric
information and other personal data, will be stored on a central
database.
However, project sources admit that the initiative still has to
tackle some politically sensitive issues, including who will have
access to the database and how passenger information will be shared
across national borders by governments or industry groups.