A key part of air travel is checking your identity. For safety, the airline and TSA must confirm that it's really you getting on the plane. Because of this, more airports in the United States and around the world are trying out facial recognition technology. This aims to make verification safer and may even speed up this security step. So, how does it work? Can you say no because of privacy worries? Here's what you should know about using facial recognition at airports.
Facial recognition at airports: what you need to know?
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The basics of how facial recognition technology operates
At airport security points that use facial recognition, eligible travelers will get their picture taken to confirm who they are, plus they'll show their ID. The software checks their photo against their passport or license to make sure it's really them. According to the TSA, the traveler's photo is erased soon after. This technology could help speed up the process and make security tighter. "It's the future because it's much better than a manual check. This improves safety," TSA administrator David Pekoske said to CBS News.
Locations and places where facial recognition technology is found
Facial recognition tech was first introduced in 2019 and is currently found at TSA checkpoints in over 30 airports across the United States. Looking ahead, the TSA aims to roll out this tech to an additional 400 airports nationwide. It's not limited to regular preboarding security either. U.S. Customs and Border Protection reports that more than 230 border checkpoints in several U.S. airports, where travelers go through after international trips, also use facial recognition.
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Understanding touchless ID and what it means
For now, travelers still need to show their physical ID and have their photo taken. But the TSA is testing a program for TSA PreCheck members, called Touchless ID, that lets them scan their ID in the airline's app. The software then checks the photo at security against the uploaded document. Participating airlines let travelers use this tech for check-in and bag drop-off too, making airport visits quicker.
Delta's version is called Delta Digital ID and is only for SkyMiles members with a U.S. passport who are in TSA PreCheck. Travelers can join by adding their Known Traveler Number on the airline's site or app. By mid-2024, the pilot program is live at Delta's hubs in Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, and New York (JFK and LaGuardia).
United Airlines' Touchless ID is for customers with TSA PreCheck. Eligible travelers can use it for easier bag drop and don't have to show their boarding pass or physical ID at the checkpoint or when boarding the plane. Like Delta, these touchless checkpoints are at select airports in 2024, including Chicago, Los Angeles, and Newark.
Is it possible to say "no" to facial recognition technology?
In short, yes. The TSA says, "Travelers who don't want to use facial recognition can skip the optional photo and choose a different way to confirm their identity that doesn't involve facial recognition."
Just tell the TSA officer or airline worker before your photo is taken and ask for the standard verification. Then, agents will check your passport or another form of ID, plus your boarding pass (though the TSA is also working on a plan for travelers who don't need to show their boarding passes).
However, there's an important detail: the U.S. Customs and Border Protection says that only U.S. citizens and permanent residents can opt out of having their photo taken at border checkpoints after arriving from an international flight. All other international travelers must have their picture taken at checkpoints that use facial recognition technology.
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