JetBlue is piloting a new automated biometric check-in system.
Collaborating with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and aviation IT firm SITA, the self-boarding process snaps a facial image of the traveler which instantly matches the image to passport data held on the CBP database.
Passengers are then notified on a screen above the custom camera when cleared to proceed to the aircraft.
"We hope to learn how we can further reduce friction points in the airport experience, with the boarding process being one of the hardest to solve," said Joanna Geraghty, executive vice president customer experience at JetBlue.
"Self-boarding eliminates boarding pass scanning and manual passport checks. Just look into the camera and you’re on your way."
The system is being tested on JetBlue services from Boston to Aruba.
JetBlue customers can participate without any enrolment.
Jim Peters, chief technology officer, SITA, said: "This biometric self-boarding program for JetBlue and the CBP is designed to be easy to use. What we want to deliver is a secure and seamless passenger experience. We use sophisticated technologies to enable biometric checks and for CBP authorization to be sent quickly to the airline’s systems. This is the first integration of biometric authorization by the CBP with an airline and may prove to be a solution that will be quick and easy to roll out across US airports."
