KULAI: AirAsia Bhd has joined the biometric bandwagon with its own Fast Airport Clearance Experience System (F.A.C.E.S), a facial recognition system that enables passengers to board their flight without having to present any travel documents.
Officially launched at the Senai International Airport, Johor Bahru, today, F.A.C.E.S is fully owned and operated by AirAsia.
The launch also marks AirAsia as the first airline in Asia to have a seamless travel experience from check-in to boarding with the latest biometric facial recognition technology.
AirAsia group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said the system aims to transform on-ground experience while speeding up security clearance and boarding process in a step towards digitising its airline operations.
“With F.A.C.E.S, your face is your passport (boarding pass), making a breeze to clear the gate and board your flight,” he said in a statement.
MMC Corp Bhd group managing director Datuk Seri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh in a statement said with Senai International Airport selected as the first to pilot the project, the technology will also further enhance airport operations efficiency with faster screening processes, to accommodate the growing number of passengers.
F.A.C.E.S has a 98 per cent identification success rate and is claimed to reduce the boarding process to between 9 and 11 minutes, from 11 to 13 minutes on an average procedure.
Guests can enrol at kiosks located at the check-in area in Senai International Airport.
Available for guests aged 18 and above, with a height of 145 to 190cm, the enrolment is a one-time process, until the identity document expires which guests will need to register again.
MyKad allows for domestic travel only whereas passport allows for both domestic and international travel.
Registered travelers are identified as they approach the auto boarding gate and allowed to board their flight directly.
F.A.C.E.S does not include immigration and border processing, as the first phase is focused on the use of facial recognition at the airport security checkpoint and boarding.
Currently, there is one enrolment kiosk and three auto boarding gates installed at the airport.
Fernandes said he hoped F.A.C.E.S would serve as inspiration to other airports in the country to implement the system and revolutionise the way people travel.