Delta testing facial-recognition technology at new self-service bag drop

Delta Airlines is set to be the first U.S. carrier to test facial-recognition software to match passengers with luggage. Delta customers would be able to scan their faces at new self-service bag-drop stations in Minnesota, its second busiest location.

The station would verify fliers’ identities by matching faces to passport photos when they check bags at the service belt. If successful, passengers using the biometric-enabled check-in and self-service bag drops can proceed to security without interacting with a Delta agent at all.

Delta’s $600,000 initiative is its “next step in curating an airport experience that integrates thoughtful innovation from start to finish,” said Gareth Joyce, Delta’s SVP — Airport Customer Service and Cargo, in a statement.

The effort is part of a larger roll-out of the bag-drop machines at Minneapolis/St. Paul, where four are currently being installed on a trial basis. Once the machines are in place for testing, Delta will evaluate customer feedback from the bag-drop trial “to ensure that this lobby enhancement improves the overall customer experience.”

Studies have found that self-service bag drops can process twice as many customers per hour. Delta’s new technology is an aim to speed up passenger queues and use its self-service check-in kiosks. The kiosks will print a bag tag that customers can attach to their luggage that is being checked. From there, fliers can head over to the bag-drop station with their luggage.

At the stations without biometric capability, a customer’s identity must be verified before the automated bag drop will accept the checked luggage. At the service station with facial recognition, customers scan their passports at the machine, which then takes an image of their faces to confirm that the individual matches the information on the passport.

Thus far, the face-scan technology is only applicable for fliers with passports. Customers using any other form of ID will be required to use the other self-service machines where an agent must confirm their identity.

While Delta has not released an exact launch date for the biometric technology bag drop, it opens up possibilities for expanding it to other airports.

Via USA Today