Frankfurt Debuts New Technology

Most business travellers want to see the use of biometric technology at airports, according to a survey from airline industry group IATA. Various international airports have begun testing biometric technology, which can scan the retina, iris, face or fingerprint to determine the accurate identity of an individual. The technology is designed to make passports and other identification documents harder to forge, as well as speed up check-in procedures.

While the survey did not ask the respondents why they wanted to see biometric technology used more, IATA spokesman Grant Wilkinson said there were growing concerns with regard to security and delays at check-in.

"The main benefit would be an increased fast track system through check-in reducing the 'hassle factor' and increased level of security that would improve the safety of passengers," Wilkinson said.

Amsterdam's Schiphol has introduced iris scanning, while London's Heathrow, New York's JFK and Washington's Dulles airports have also considered the scheme. Travellers at Germany's Frankfurt airport, continental Europe's busiest, are currently using the system via a three-second scan of their eyes. However, this is scan is only done, if they choose to sign up for the iris recognition technology test project

Passengers in the six-month program still go through regular security controls, but can bypass conventional passport checks. They can simply put their passport though a scanner, take a quick look at a camera and a few seconds later enter the country, airport officials said. To qualify, passengers would need background checks by German border police, a machine-readable passport, be citizens of the European Union or Switzerland, register at the airport and have an iris scan on file.

The test is part of efforts in many countries, especially the United States in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, to extend the use of biometric technology - using fingerprint, eye or facial recognition scans - to track travelers and immigrants, while also cutting down on time spent in line. Germany passed laws after September 11 attacks that provide for biometric features to be added to passports and personal identity papers. Post-September 11 US legislation also requires 27 countries, mostly in Europe, to add biometrics to passports they issue after October 26, 2004, or else have their citizens apply for visas.

Passengers register personal details first, then a picture is taken of their iris -- the coloured diaphragm that controls the size of the pupil -- and recorded on a card, which looks like credit card. Once the checks are complete, passengers pass through gates inserting the iris scan card and looking into a scanner where their eye is compared with the information on the card.

The International Air Transport Association -- trade body for 280-member airlines which provide about 95 percent of international scheduled flights -- surveyed 1,013 corporate travellers about security, the role of low-cost carriers and video conferencing post 9/11. The passengers were questioned before flying from Schiphol, Heathrow, Frankfurt and Singapore, and on average had made six long-haul flights in the previous 12 months. The respondents were mainly European (43 percent), with 33 percent North American and 24 percent from the Asia/Pacific region.

With regard to secuirty isses, the survey found:

• Eighty-one percent of respondents wanted to see advanced biometric technology at airports.

• Twenty-seven percent wanted to see air marshalls onboard.

• Thirty-four percent wanted to see reinforced cockpit doors.

• One third of all business travellers have used a low cost airline in the past 12 months mainly for the cost benefit, with 37 percent using video conferencing to save travel time and money.

• E-mail and Internet access were both rated as important in-flight features and more than three out of five of all business travellers would be willing to pay a one-off supplement for Internet services.

FMI: www.iata.org