Star Alliance has completed development of an interoperable biometric identity and identification platform designed to significantly improve the travel experience for frequent flyer programme customers of member airlines.
The Star Alliance Biometrics platform advances the vision of delivering a seamless customer journey, while strengthening the loyalty value proposition within its travel ecosystem.
Lufthansa Group airlines, Lufthansa and SWISS, will be the first to use Star Alliance Biometrics for selected flights starting in November 2020. Specific infrastructure is being installed at the hub airports of Frankfurt and Munich.
Members of the Lufthansa and SWISS Miles & More Frequent Flyer Programme who opt-in to biometrics will be able to pass through both security access and boarding gates in a touchless manner, an important health and hygiene safety measure in times of COVID-19. The identification process works for passengers wearing face masks.
The Star Alliance Biometrics service is built upon NEC Corporation’s NEC I:Delight biometric and identity management platform software.
Touchless travelling with biometrics at Frankfurt Airport.
Jeffrey Goh, CEO Star Alliance: “We are exceedingly proud to have founding member Lufthansa as the first airline to implement the Star Alliance Biometrics solution in both of its Frankfurt and Munich airport hubs. This is a customer-centric solution that furthers our credentials in innovation, particularly its multi-airline and multi-airport capability. Whilst it offers a seamless customer travel experience, it is also a critical development that addresses the expectation of customers for a more touchless and hygienically safer experience. Star Alliance Biometrics is a key part of our strategy to be the most digitally advanced global airline alliance.”
Dr. Pierre Dominique Prümm, Board Member Aviation and Infrastructure, Fraport AG: “Optimising travel processes for passengers is our top priority at Frankfurt Airport, and biometric processes offer our customers numerous advantages. Star Alliance Biometrics now creates a more efficient and – especially important in today’s times – touchless passenger journey, which offers greater security as well as more comfort and less waiting time. We are proud to be one of the first airports worldwide to offer this pioneering technology for boarding pass control and individual gates in Terminal 1 – Area A, together with our most important customers Star Alliance and Lufthansa. In the coming weeks and months, we will gradually expand the range – also to new process points such as baggage drop-off.”
Jost Lammers, CEO Munich Airport: “Biometrics offers us the opportunity to further accelerate and simplify processes at Munich Airport for the benefit of travellers. This not only increases passenger comfort, but also – thanks to the contactless process – hygiene standards and health protection. In this way, we are once again fulfilling our promise of quality as the only 5-star-airport in Europe.”
