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International airports lead the way in deployment of facial biometric ID

October 22, 2018

Within the past week, Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Heathrow Airport in London, and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport have have announced biometric facial recognition deployments aimed at improving the passenger experience and expediting the passenger journey.

According to a press release, these announcements substantiate Acuity Market Intelligence forecasts projecting that the global market for "curb-to-gate" biometric airport automation will generate $1.3 billion in revenue over the next five years as more than 16,300 e-gates and kiosks are deployed for automated check-in, bag drop, passport control, security checkpoints and boarding by 2022.

"Biometrics in the airport is no longer just about border control," Maxine Most, Principal at Acuity Market Intelligence, said in the release. "As global digital transformation creates expectations for frictionless experience, adoption of biometric automation at airports is moving beyond secure, facilitation towards enhanced passenger journeys. The age of seamless travel is here."

According to Most, Europe will continue to dominate the automated biometric facilitation through the 2018–2022 forecast period, accounting for nearly 30 percent of total units deployed and generating more than 34 percent of all revenues.

"However, Acuity expects rapid growth in Asia to shift market dynamics to near total Asian market domination by 2028 or 2030," she said.