- A Public Safety Canada officer asked his government to back an interesting Air Canada pilot project.
- The airline was testing a system in which travelers may use face recognition technology instead of a passport.
- This might result in cost savings for airlines, less inconvenience when traveling, and possibly even new privacy risks.
A Public Safety Canada officer asked his government to back an interesting Air Canada pilot project in an internal briefing memo this past June.
The airline was testing a system in which travelers may use face recognition technology at the boarding gate to verify their identities without needing a boarding permit or passport.
Facial recognition technology
The Vancouver project by Air Canada is part of an international initiative to usher in a new era of air travel in which face features will take the place of traditional paper documents.
This might result in cost savings for airlines, less inconvenience when traveling, and possibly even new privacy risks. Under its Air Right Touch program, which allows passengers to navigate airports using their face biometrics that are electronically linked to their passports and other data, Transport Canada has asked contractors to suggest methods of putting this initiative into action.
The International Air Transport Association has ceased to maintain track of the numerous pilot projects that are being conducted globally as part of its campaign for a parallel concept called One ID.
