The International Air Transport Association (IATA), representing over 360 airlines accounting for some 85% of global air traffic, published the results of several digital identity Proofs of Concept (PoCs) completed with the support of airlines, airports, technology providers, and governments across Europe and Asia-Pacific.
The successful PoCs demonstrated that contactless, biometric-enabled international travel is already achievable with digital identity replacing paper documentation, said IATA press note .
Working together as part of the IATA Strategic Partnerships Program, the partners tested how digital identity stored in mobile wallets and biometric verification can support seamless passenger journeys without repeated paper document checks.
Importantly, the PoCs demonstrated that interoperability of systems is sufficiently advanced to support contactless journeys involving multiple carriers and using different digital identity wallets as well as national digital identity programs which also includes enabling passengers to securely share identity data in advance to facilitate their travel.
The PoCs were designed using the IATA Contactless Travel Directory, IATA’s One ID standards and ISO, OpenID, and W3C international standards.
Wallet-based digital identity solutions work, including global and national wallets, were successfully used in live airline environments. Digital identity data can be securely shared ahead of travel, with user consent, enabling pre-travel checks and reducing repeated document handling, it reads.
Biometric verification can replace manual paper document checks at airport touchpoints, allowing passengers to move through checkpoints securely and seamlessly. A single digital identity can be reused across the journey, enabling a seamless, contactless “tap-and-go” experience.
Interoperability can be achieved across borders, enabling systems operated by airlines, airports, and governments to work seamlessly together.
These PoCs demonstrated travelers can use a secure digital identity to share only the data required for travel, enrol remotely in a digital identity system, and verify themselves biometrically at airport touchpoints to complete their journey without presenting a physical passport or boarding pass, added the note.
