Facial Recognition to Replace Boarding Passes by 2028

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UN aviation body ICAO plans to eliminate boarding passes and check-ins by 2028, replacing them with facial recognition technology at airports worldwide.

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Passengers will receive a digital "journey pass" on their smartphones upon booking, storing passport data and flight details that update automatically.

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Facial recognition cameras will verify travelers at bag drop, security, and boarding gates—no more fumbling for documents or scanning barcodes.

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Tests show biometric systems could slash boarding times by 30% and cut overall wait times by 60%, with most passengers comfortable using their faces as ID.

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Privacy concerns are addressed with 15-second data deletion policies after each checkpoint scan, focusing on verification rather than long-term storage.

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Major airlines including British Airways, Air France-KLM, Finnair, and Saudia Airlines are already testing this tech to smooth the passenger experience.

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Airport infrastructure needs massive upgrades with facial recognition cameras and mobile passport scanners before the system works globally.

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During flight delays, your digital pass would automatically update with new flight details, clearing you to board without waiting in customer service lines.

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Many airline systems haven't changed for 50+ years because everything must be consistent across the industry," explains Amadeus executive Valérie Viale.

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The shift represents aviation's biggest overhaul since paper tickets gave way to e-ticketing in the early 2000s.

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