Overview
Waiting in slow-moving lines has to be one of the least-loved parts of overseas travelling, but it could soon prove a whole lot less hassle, with Sydney Airport set to start trialling biometric testing from May this year.
As The Sydney Morning Herald reports, the trial will be available to those flying internationally with Qantas who've registered their involvement with the Australian Border Force. It'll reduce the usual airport adventure to a breezy six-step process — from checking in, to border processing, to boarding — requiring just one flash of your passport along the way. Instead of the usual fussing around, face and fingerprint scans will be used as verification, as Sydney Airport looks at ways to ease congestion and make travelling easier.
Facial-recognition technology is already in place at Australian airports, which has, at Sydney Airport, knocked the average time spent by people passing through customs from around four minutes to a speedy 23 seconds.
Exactly what information and data the Border Force will need from individuals is not yet known, but it's likely to be extensive. Sydney Airport told The Sydney Morning Herald it would make sure "relevant privacy issues are managed" and that if the trial's successful, there are plans to roll it out across other international airlines.