SITA and Etihad Airways trial advanced biometric technology

Information technology company SITA and UAE carrier Etihad Airways have trialled an advanced biometric technology at Abu Dhabi Airport.

The implementation is designed to improve the entry and exit to the restricted Crew Briefing Centre (CBC).

Some of the challenges that the partners sought to address are reducing lining up and fast-tracking the crew check-in process at the CBC and flight preparations stress.

The partnership also focused on introducing facial recognition technology to promote low touch process and integrate ‘biometrics on-the-go’ convenience to enable crew members to use their smartphones.

The use of facial recognition cameras to enable automated flight roster retrieval and roll call was also addressed.

Etihad Aviation Group flight operation vice-president captain Sulaiman Yaqoobi said: “Etihad is constantly on the lookout for innovative solutions that will drive improvements in the airline’s operations and enhance the experience for guests and employees.

“We believe that facial recognition technology has the potential to enhance the efficiency and security of airline operations and are happy to be partners with SITA in this trial.”

The trial will continue to run until late February and provide the partnership with invaluable information to a broader solution for the industry.

Besides this, a low-touch passenger solution, SITA Smart Path, has already been implemented across various airports, including Miami Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport.

Last September, Lufthansa Group leveraged SITA’s WorldTracer Self Service to enable a completely contactless way for passengers to report delayed baggage from their mobile device.