# Passport-Free Travel Boarding British Airways is Using Facial Recognition Tech on Passengers By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2017-03-31 | World Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/passportfree-travel References: [psfk](https://www.psfk.com/2017/03/british-airways-facial-recognition.html) & [telegraph](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/25/british-airways-introduces-boarding-without-passports-installs/) While there are some apps that can be used to simplify and speed up the experience of boarding an airplane, [British Airways](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/british-airways-and-starlink) is now introducing passport-free travel boarding at Heathrow airport. In the airport's Terminal 5, there are now biometric devices that are equipped to capture the facial features of a traveler, along with their [boarding pass](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/digital-us-passport) and other pertinent information. This way, technology does all the work of verifying a person's identity, making it possible for a traveler to board a plane without showing their documents. Although three gates for domestic flights are now using these [facial recognition systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/facial-recognition-security) to speed up the boarding process, more are set to be introduced for the convenience of travelers the near future. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.4/10 - Popularity: 33% | Activity: 30% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [World](https://www.trendhunter.com/world) > [Travel](https://www.trendhunter.com/travel) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Facial Recognition Boarding:** Facial recognition technology is being used to expedite the boarding process, signaling a growing trend towards biometric authentication. - **Passport-free Travel:** Eliminating the need for physical documents during the boarding process paves the way for a future of seamless, touchless travel experiences. - **Airport Biometric Devices:** The implementation of biometric devices in airports suggests that other industries could benefit from the simplicity and security of facial recognition technology. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Airline Industry:** The airline industry has an opportunity to streamline the entire travel experience with facial recognition technology, from check-in to boarding and beyond. - **Security Industry:** Facial recognition technology can be leveraged by the security industry to enhance physical and digital security measures for both consumer and business applications. - **Hospitality Industry:** The hospitality industry can use facial recognition technology to personalize and enhance guests' experiences by enabling touchless check-in, room access, and more. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Smartphone Passport ID Features](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/apple-digital-id.md) - [Aviation-Centric Facial Imaging Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/facial-imaging-app.md) - [AI-Backed Airport Lanes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/clear.md) - [Hospitality Facial Recognition Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/zoox-pass.md) - [Facial Recognition Checkouts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/contactless-store.md) - [Contactless Airport Shops](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/airport-shop.md) - [Seamless Biometric Payment Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mastercard-1.md) - [AI-Powered CCTV Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/amazon-9.md) - [AI Airport Assistants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hello-aberdeen.md)