Starting this December, travelers traveling to and from Atlanta will use facial recognition technology from curb to gate at ATL’s terminal F and board at DTW.
This initiative was designed by Delta Airlines together with U.S Customs and Boarder Protection (CBP) Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as they unveiled the first of its kind – biometric terminal at Maynard H. Jackson International Terminal in the United States at Maynard H. Jackson International Terminal (Terminal F) in Atlanta.
This states that travelers flying directly to an international destination using Delta, Aeromexico, Air France, KLM or Virgin Atlantic Airways can use facial recognition technology from curb to gate, including to; Check in at self-service kiosks in the international lobby, drop checked baggage at the counters in the international lobby, serve as identification at TSA check point, Board a flight at any gate in Terminal F and also go through CBP processing for international travellers arriving into the United States of America.
Touch points throughout the terminal in Atlanta started coming online in mid-October – nearly all 25,000 customers who travel through ATL Terminal F each week are choosing this optional process, with less than 2 percent opting out. And, based on initial data, the facial recognition option is saving an average of two seconds for each customer at boarding, or nine minutes when boarding a widebody aircraft.
On the heels of the successful rollout in Atlanta, Delta Airlines, in partnership with CBP and the Wayne County Airport Authority will expand the facial recognition boarding test that started in July, which was the first of its kind for the airport, to all 14 international gates at McNamara Terminal in the Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) by mid-December. With this move, any customer flying direct to an international destination from DTW will also have the option of using facial recognition technology at boarding. In 2019, Delta will roll out facial recognition technology at DTW from curb to gate for its customers.
ATL F — How the curb-to-gate facial recognition technology works:
Customers flying direct to an international destination from Atlanta’s Terminal F wanting to use this option simply:
- Enter their passport information when prompted during online check-in.
Click “Look” on the screen at the kiosk in the lobby, or approach the camera at the counter in the lobby, the TSA checkpoint or when boarding at the gate.
- Breeze through once the green check mark flashes on the screen.
- Travellers will need to have their passports available and should always bring their passports when they travel internationally for use at other touchpoints during their trip.
