Incheon airport introduces Smartpass facial recognition system

A new biometric identification system using the facial features of travelers now substitutes for passports at Incheon International Airport, Korea's largest international air hub. The enhanced identification process started being used on July 27, the Incheon International Airport Corp. said, Friday. The new service, dubbed "Smartpass," enables the quick and efficient identification of passengers at departure and boarding gates at the airport without having to present their passports or boarding passes, according to IIAC. The service has been implemented across all departure gates and 16 boarding gates at the airport as of Friday. "We expect the timely introduction of the smart pass service (for outbound travels) to greatly help ease congestion caused at the airport for the peak summer season," IIAC President Lee Hag-jae said during the launching ceremony, Friday. "The IIAC will continue to improve convenience for passengers through the introduction of cutting-edge technology." For the time being, the service is available only for passengers flying with Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Jeju Air, Jin Air, T-way Air and Delta Air Lines. The airport has plans for full integration of the document-free system by April 2025, extending the service to passengers of all airlines.<br/>