Heathrow Airport started trials of biometric technology last week to strengthen security and simplify passengers’ journeys through the airport.

The MiSense system is being tested in Terminal 3 with airlines Emirates and Cathay Pacific, working in conjunction with airport and immigration authorities in Dubai and Hong Kong.

The trial will run until the end of January 2007 and involve passengers registering their fingerprints in return for a secure virtual key that will give them fast-track passage through security control and boarding.

Immigration minister Liam Byrne says the system will become critical to national security.

‘Biometric ID systems are fundamental to securing our borders in a more mobile age,’ he told Computing. ‘They are crucial to our plans for counting everyone in and out of the country. This proof of concept shows just how well the technology can work.’

Several vendors are involved with the project. Accenture is leading the biometrics implementation, the business process and change management, and nCipher has provided encryption and database security technology.

Passengers travelling on selected Cathay Pacific and Emirates flights are being invited to participate in the trial when they arrive at check-in.

Travellers use a specially-designed self-service kiosk to scan their passport and their right index finger.

The information is stored on a database and cross-referenced when passengers present their finger for scanning at security and boarding.

The second part of the trial, MiSenseplus, uses biometric information within the international registered traveller programme to speed up departures and immigration in the UK.

Passengers have 13 biometrics captured – 10 fingerprints, two iris images and one facial image. All biometrics are scanned to verify a person’s identity, so they can pass through the airport.

The system will speed up processing at key bottlenecks in the airport – most notably at passport control – one passport control officer will be able to man five gates, freeing up four staff for other security duties.

MiSenseallclear, the third element of the trial, involves the testing of interactive technology to allow UK authorities to check passengers are security-cleared at check-in.

The Advance Passenger Information system searches government and police databases in real time before the individual is issued with a boarding card.

Byrne says the Heathrow trial is part of the government’s wider identity scheme.

‘I am looking at a national ID system that will help us tackle illegal immigration across the board, and this trial forms a piece of that puzzle,’ he said.

Heathrow airport chief executive Tony Douglas says biometrics technology will be a key part of travelling in the future.

‘I believe it is highly probable you will not be able to travel in the future without providing biometric information,’ he said.

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Further Reading:

Heathrow trials fingerprint scans

Heathrow Express offers net access on the move

Project Iris

... in 30 seconds

- The UK’s first biometric immigration controls went live at Heathrow airport in spring 2005.

- As part of the government’s Project Iris (Iris Recognition Immigration System), registered travellers returning to the UK can bypass queues at Terminals 2 and 4 using automatic gates with iris-scanning technology.

- Participating travellers register with an immigration official before leaving the UK.

- Passport and identity details are stored on a database with biometric images of the traveller’s iris patterns, which takes no more than 10 minutes to process, according to the Immigration and Nationality Directive.

- The voluntary scheme formed the first live element of the eBorders programme and was aimed at foreign passport-holders who frequently enter the UK.

- The project is available on 10 international routes including Washington, Karachi and Riyadh.