Air New Zealand is preparing to get rid of boarding passes in the US

Air New Zealand says boarding passes will soon be a thing of the past. The airline has completed a successful trial at Los Angeles Airport where it used biometric verification technology at the boarding gate instead of having staff physically scanning passes and sighting passports. Air New Zealand said customers would soon be able to make the most of the technology at San Francisco International Airport, followed by the airline’s other US ports. The airline explained that upon entering the US, customers can register with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) using their biometric information. At the automated airport kiosks, this same data is then used to verify their identity at the time of boarding. The data used during the process is secured by CBP and not directly accessible to airlines. Air New Zealand chief digital officer Nikhil Ravishankar said the technology would speed up the boarding process, creating a seamless experience for customers and airport staff. “We have heard from customers that they want their airport experience to be hassle-free and technology is a key enabler of that,” he said. “According to IATA [International Air Transport Association], more than 75% of customers see huge value in biometric verification and want to use it instead of passports and boarding passes.” Ravishankar said using biometrics at the boarding gate was “only the beginning” and the airline was in talks with industry players, both globally and in New Zealand, about how biometric technology could be used throughout the whole airport process.<br/>