Biometric technologies in passenger clearance

Abstract

Having overcome a deep crisis, airlines and airports now report continuously growing passenger numbers, and existing infrastructural capacities at many airports reach their limit. At the same time, security requirements have been increasing since 2001, causing additional use of capacity and costs and declining efficiency. Instead of expanding the capabilities of terminals and mobilizing more manpower for security activities, process optimization would be the smarter and more efficient way for airlines and airports to handle both passenger interests and security requirements. Biometric technologies may provide the technological basis for the optimization of these processes civil aviation security. Biometric technologies are concerned with the measurement and evaluation of the physiological or behavioral characteristics of humans. In recent years, the security-oriented use of biometric technologies has become the most important field of research, although these technologies can also be used in a variety of other applications. Particularly, the verification and identification of human beings based on these characteristics have turned out to be the most important application of biometrics. The author’s research pursues the goal of optimizing civil aviation security processes by developing and implementing efficient processes based on innovative biometric technologies. The article analyzes the current status of the civil aviation market and industry, focusing on airports and airlines. Market and industry data is taken from IATA and ACI reports, as well as from commercial research papers. An introduction to biometric research and development is given in connection with civil aviation security. Based on the analysis, the passenger clearance process is suggested as an exemplary application field of biometrics in civil aviation security.

First Published Online: 14 Oct 2010

Keyword : biometrics, biometric technologies, security, security systems, aviation security, passenger clearance