The Department of Homeland Security is considering an expansion of a personal electronics ban beyond the eight Middle Eastern countries currently affected, and the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) is pushing back with an argument that biometric screening should be effective enough when it comes to more sophisticated security for flights out of Europe.
Speaking at the Aviation Festival Americas conference, APEX CEO Joe Leader said facial recognition could be used to identify passengers wishing to use their electronics onboard planes. Leader added that such measures would remain in line with the DHS’s planned Biometric Entry-Exit Program.
An APEX statement added that “biometrics has been a hot topic” at Aviation Festival Americas.
Such technology has indeed been of increasing interest to aviation authorities around the world, with other government authorities exploring its security benefits while airports and airlines seek efficiencies in managing travelers with biometric screening. Air travel IT specialist SITA recently launched the Secure Journeys Working Group to advocate for biometric airport screening across various government groups.
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May 11, 2017 – by Alex Perala
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