Delta Air Lines has become the latest airline to introduce facial recognition technology, which will match fliers with their passport photos during the self-service bag drop-off process.
The technology will debut at one of four self-serve bag drop machines at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport this summer and is touted as a time-saving measure for customers: Self-service drop-off stations have been shown to process up to twice as many customers per hour.
Delta becomes the first US carrier to launch a biometric-based bag drop machine. The new feature will also free up agents to help travelers with other matters, Delta says.
“This is the next step in curating an airport experience that integrates thoughtful innovation from start to finish,” said Gareth Joyce, of Airport Customer Service and Cargo, in a statement. “We’re making travel easier than ever for our customers and continuing to deliver a leading customer experience.”
Delta says it’s spending $600,000 on the initiative.
Delta also worked with the Transportation Security Administration to implement the first automated screening lanes in the U.S. at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
