Delta Introduces Face-Recognition Boarding Technology at DTW Gate

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Delta and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Thursday announced the launch of Detroit Metro Airport’s first biometric boarding test that will allow customers to board aircraft using facial recognition technology.

Customers who wish to participate approach a camera that captures their image. They get a confirmation receipt and can board their flight without a boarding pass.

The new option is available starting this month at gate A36. The technology is based on learnings from several years of pilot projects at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and John F. Kennedy Airport.

Customers who choose not to participate can still use boarding passes or mobile phones to board.

“Expanding facial recognition boarding to this international gateway and Delta hub is a natural next step as we hone this boarding option in partnership with CBP,” says Gil West, COO of Delta. “This new phase will allow us to get even more feedback from customers and employees and is another example of how Delta is delivering innovative experiences customers have come to expect from great brands.”

The test is underway on one flight daily, where customers also get to experience Delta’s Airbus A350 and the new Delta One Suite. It is slated to become an option for all international flights departing from that gate in the coming months.

Delta has offered a number of new customer solutions over the past several years including optional biometric check-in at all domestic Delta Sky Clubs, RFID baggage handling, automatic check-in and bag tracking via the Fly Delta mobile app, an alliance that offers customers in-cabin connectivity, more efficient and high-tech automated screening lanes, and an app that helps Delta pilots avoid turbulence.