The Yomiuri Shimbun NEC Corp.’s new facial recognition system is displayed to the media in Minato Ward, Tokyo, on Friday.

NEC unveils facial recognition system for airport boarding

The Yomiuri Shimbun
NEC Corp. on Friday unveiled a system that uses facial recognition technology for airport boarding procedures, with plans to introduce it at Narita Airport next spring.

In the envisaged system, as explained to the media, passengers will be photographed and registered with their permission by a special device during the check-in procedure as they submit their passports and boarding passes.

From there, the passengers will be able to pass through boarding gates and other secure points with only their faces as proof of identity.

The system will be introduced at Narita Airport in spring 2020, and be used for the international departure procedures of Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways flights.

By simplifying such procedures, it will result in reduced passenger waiting time and allow for downsizing airport staff.

Currently, in addition to when they check in for their flight, passengers need to show their passports and boarding passes when requiring baggage handling, going through the security check and passing through the boarding gate.

With the new system, passengers will only need to do so one time, at the check-in. The NEC system has already been introduced at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Source: http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0005781734