Passport In Pockets: The New Facial-Recognition Technology Coming To Some Airports

For anyone who has happened to have passed through Orlando International Airport (MCO) over the last few weeks, the scene at select international gates has appeared more like a science-fiction preview of technology one could never have imagined existed. Travelers stroll through a corridor of cameras, and, in seconds, a screen flashes “verified,” and sends them on towards departure without ever pulling a passport or boarding pass from a pocket or bag. This is the first high-profile rollout in the United States of next-generation facial recognition technology that aims to replace traditional identity checks for international flights. As part of a 90-day pilot program at the nation’s ninth-busiest airport, biometric systems from multiple vendors are capturing and matching live facial images against government identity records to confirm passenger identities.