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British Airways is the first UK airline to use biometric technology to board flights from the US

More than 250,000 British Airways customers have experienced a glimpse of the journey of the future by using their face as their identity to board a flight from the US in the last 18 months.

The introduction of new biometric facial recognition technology has transformed the airport experience for customers travelling from Orlando, Los Angeles and New York, JFK by streamlining the boarding process and halving the amount of time it takes to board an aircraft. 

The technology means that customers no longer need to present their passport or boarding pass at the departure gate – only when they check in and go through Security. Instead travellers simply look into a camera prior to boarding, wait for their biometric data to be verified and then walk onto the aircraft.

The commitment to this technology is part of the airline’s £6.5bn investment for customers. British Airways was the first UK airline to use biometric technology to board flights from the US, working in close partnership with the US Customs and Border Protection to implement the technology, which has enabled the airline to hugely speed up its boarding process.

At Orlando, British Airways is boarding almost 240 customers in 10 minutes – becoming the first carrier to set up permanent facial recognition gates at the airport.

British Airways was also the first UK airline to use the technology on UK domestic flights. More than 3,000,000 customers have boarded an aircraft this way – with all domestic departures from Heathrow Terminal 5 now boarded biometrically.

For international flights, self-service boarding gates have now been installed at the terminal, allowing customers to scan their own boarding cards to gain access to their flight. It’s the first step towards biometric boarding on international flights from the UK.

Raoul Cooper, British Airways’ Senior Digital Design Manager, said:

We are continuing to pioneer the use of technology and automation to enhance the airport experience and ensure that our customers’ flights depart on time.

The airport of the future will be built upon biometric technology, from check-in and baggage drops to security checks and boarding.

These days, automation is a part of everyday life, as is biometric technology via our mobile phones.

We’re working with our technology partners and the US government to explore how we can use this technology in new and innovative ways to give our customers the stress-free, easy airport experience they tell us they want, while ensuring security is always our top priority.

British Airways logo

Important Change Of Check-In Time At London Heathrow.

From 30th October 2016 the minimum check-in time for British Airways long-haul flights at London Heathrow Airport will be 60 minutes prior to departure.

Check-in for short-haul flights will remain unchanged at 45 minutes.

British Airways – Important Update.

Please note that British Airways is in the process of standardising check-in and bag drop closure times at airports across its network.

The new standardised time for UK domestic and short haul customers to clear check in, and drop their bags, is up to 45 minutes before departure. Whilst the new standardised time for long haul customers to clear check in and drop their bags is up to one hour before departure.

Global Travel Management recommends that passengers allow plenty of time for check-in, or bag-drops, particularly during peak travel times. GTM customers can access either our itinerary management app, or the BA app, to assist them.

Lastly, GTM recommends that all travellers flying with British Airways ALWAYS check in online for their flight/s.