by Joel R. McConvey, Activist Post:
Activist Post Editor’s Note — All of the digital systems that have been rolled out in the name of convenience have led to more privacy threats, less security and more government control, but a growing number of people are willing to use their own body as a passport, computer access terminal and payment system.
Among applications of biometrics likely to bring the majority of people on board with their widespread use, a less painful airport experience must rank near the top. Any traveler who has felt panic over a lost passport will now have new options at airports in Singapore and Dubai, where airports are introducing end-to-end biometric clearance.
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Starting in 2024, Singapore’s Changi Airport will implement biometrics for automated authentication throughout the airport experience, including bag drop, boarding and immigration. According to the South China Morning Post, Changi projects a return to pre-pandemic levels of traffic, and hopes the biometric modifications will help make passenger flow smoother, as the airport called the best in the world gets busy once again.
Late 2023 launch for passport-free travel in Dubai
Those traveling through Terminal 3 of Dubai Airport will be able to do so without a passport by the end of this year, says an article in Khaleej Times.
Facial recognition and biometric ID will allow passengers to clear all necessary procedures without taking out a passport, instead using their fingerprints, face scans or other biometrics for authentication in a “smart passage.”
Speaking at the Global Conference for Shaping Future Policies on Ports in Dubai, Major General Obaid Muhair bin Suroor, deputy director general of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA) said the system would likely be ready in November and promised to “replace electronic gates with smart gates for easy and seamless travel.” It builds on what is already a comprehensive biometric system, deployed by Vision-Box in 2020.
Aruba and SITA: lose the passport, have a margarita
Seamless travel is big business, but also makes for better leisure. In Aruba, SITA has developed Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) that let passengers create a secure digital version of their passport on their mobile device. The digital ID, which is compliant with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, is intended to allow travelers to consent to allow select data to be available across services, from immigration and customs to tourist destinations such as hotels and car rental agencies.
