Board in a Snap: JetBlue to Launch First-of-Its-Kind Self-Boarding Program Using Facial Recognition
May 31 2017 - 6:22AM
Business Wire
JetBlue partnering with U.S. Customs and Border
Protection and SITA for pilot program on flights between Boston and
Aruba starting in June
Customers who opt-in can put away boarding
passes and devices – a quick photo match at the gate verifies
customers to board
JetBlue (NASDAQ:JBLU) today announced it will collaborate with
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and SITA to test a new
paperless and deviceless self-boarding process as part of ongoing
trials to implement a biometric exit process in the future. JetBlue
will be the first airline to integrate with CBP to use biometrics
and facial recognition technology to verify customers at the gate
during boarding.
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JetBlue to Launch First-of-Its-Kind
Self-Boarding Program Using Facial Recognition. (Photo: Business
Wire)
The program will start in June on flights from Boston’s Logan
International Airport to Aruba’s Queen Beatrix International
Airport. Customers can participate without any prior enrollment or
registration.
Customers who opt in during the boarding process can put away
their boarding passes and devices and simply step up to the camera
for a quick photo. The custom-designed camera station will connect
to CBP to instantly match the image to passport, visa or
immigration photos in the CBP database and verify flight details.
The customer will be notified on an integrated screen above the
camera when they are cleared to proceed to the jet bridge. The
setup will move JetBlue crewmembers from behind the counter to
interact with customers and assist throughout the process. JetBlue
will issue iPad minis to crewmembers, giving them mobility to
monitor and manage the boarding process while interacting with
customers.
“We hope to learn how we can further reduce friction points in
the airport experience, with the boarding process being one of the
hardest to solve,” said Joanna Geraghty, executive vice president
customer experience, JetBlue. “Self-boarding eliminates boarding
pass scanning and manual passport checks. Just look into the camera
and you’re on your way.”
SITA, the global provider of IT, communications and border
security solutions to airlines, airports and governments is
providing the technology and connectivity to perform facial capture
and integration with the CBP database as well as integration with
JetBlue’s departure control system. If successful, the program will
show how technology can make the boarding process simple and
seamless for the traveler while enhancing U.S. national security
through the implementation of biometric exit.
“CBP looks forward to engaging closely with air travel partners,
like JetBlue, to better understand how CBP’s biometric exit program
will support their efforts to streamline the travel process by
using advanced biometric technology,” said CBP’s Office of Field
Operations, Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner, John Wagner.
“By transforming current business operations, airlines and airports
will have the opportunity to use verified biometrics to ensure a
seamless and consistent process for travelers.”
Jim Peters, chief technology officer, SITA, said: “This
biometric self-boarding program for JetBlue and the CBP is designed
to be easy to use. What we want to deliver is a secure and seamless
passenger experience. We use sophisticated technologies to enable
biometric checks and for CBP authorization to be sent quickly to
the airline’s systems. This is the first integration of biometric
authorization by the CBP with an airline and may prove to be a
solution that will be quick and easy to roll out across US
airports.”
Self-boarding builds on JetBlue’s efforts to innovate the
airport travel experience. JetBlue recently debuted its
self-service “line-less” lobbies with new interactive kiosks
featuring the latest personal, helpful and simple technology,
including self-bag tagging and self-bag drop capabilities that
increase efficiency and reduce frustrating airport lines. JetBlue’s
new lobby launched at New York-JFK last year. Based on positive
customer response, JetBlue has brought the new lobby design to
Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, San Juan, Newark and Atlanta
with more coming in 2017.
About JetBlue
JetBlue is New York's Hometown Airline®, and a leading
carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los
Angeles (Long Beach), Orlando, and San Juan. JetBlue carries
more than 40 million customers a year to 101 cities in the
U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America with an average
of 1000 daily flights. For more information please visit
jetblue.com.
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