In a world-first demonstration, Japan Airlines and TIAT used facial recognition tied to a passenger’s mobile wallet to enable boarding and transfers, minimizing the need for passports and physical boarding passes.

The system links personal data from passports and boarding passes with facial recognition, requiring passengers to register their facial data at booking and using biometric checks at key steps from reservation to gate.

The PoC supported multiple mobile wallet platforms, such as Face Express Wallet and Google Wallet, and employed one-to-one and one-to-many biometric authentication across different airports and use cases.

Tests were conducted at Tokyo’s Haneda and Hong Kong International airports under the IATA Data & Technology Proof of Concepts program to streamline touchpoints along the passenger journey.

Advocates say the approach enhances security, reduces human error, speeds passenger flow, cuts down on physical document checks, and encrypts data to protect privacy.

Looking ahead, the partners plan broader digital identity integration to additional airports, refine biometric methods, and pursue wider adoption across the aviation industry.