El Prat Airport (Barcelona) will be the first to test facial recognition in Europe

The aim of this project is for passengers to be able to make the entire journey to the aircraft through the facial recognition system without the need to show identification documentation, integrating all the processes from ticket and baggage check-in to boarding the aircraft.

This pilot test has been carried out jointly by Aena and Vueling, together with a group of technology companies including Easir, IDEMIA, Indra, Meterna-jps and Mobbeel. Voluntary tests are already being carried out on flights on the Barcelona-Malaga route.

This new system is based on identification technology through the “recognition of the physical and non-transferable characteristics of each person”, according to Aena.  Several devices have already been installed in the check-in area, security access and boarding gate, which validate passengers’ biometric data and facial features.