Air passengers would welcome biometrics
Survey suggests positive response to new security measures if they can speed up check-in
The majority of UK airline passengers would welcome the use of biometric security if it could speed up check-in procedures while guaranteeing safety, according to new research.
Some 90 per cent of 5,700 UK air travellers surveyed say they would be keen to have iris or fingerprint recognition technology introduced into the security process if it made check-in quicker and safer, says the study by IT services supplier Steria.
The research, conducted before and after August’s bombing scare allegedly targeting airlines travelling from the UK, reveals that a third of flyers found the increased security processes a significant inconvenience, with nine out of 10 keen to see the lengthy process cut down if it did not mean an increase in risk.
‘The government was right to insist that security measures had to be ramped up, but now it is up to the executive boards at our airports to look for ways to meet that demand while also making the whole experience more convenient. Passenger patience is not unlimited, so the industry should be looking at streamlining security as a priority,’ said Steria chief executive John Torrie.
‘Passenger safety is very unlikely to fade away as an issue, so the air industry needs to start planning ahead and work out how to make check-in as painless as possible. New technology will plan an essential part in this process, with biometrics able to establish identity and background accurately and quickly, thus eliminating security risks.’
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