The International Air Transport Association (Iata) has developed new industry standards designed to make travel a whole lot easier. Working with airlines, it seeks to digitise the passenger experience at airports with contactless biometric-enabled processes.
Part of the One ID initiative, the ‘ready-to-fly’ process shall be introduced at airports in the future.
However, in some cases, travellers may still have to prove their admissibility at check-in desks or boarding gates, with physical checks of documents such as passports, visas or health certificates.
The new process will allow travellers to digitally prove admissibility to an international destination, which means that they do not have to stop at check-in desks or boarding gates for any checks.
The One ID system will allow passengers to digitally obtain all necessary pre-travel authorisations directly from governments before their trip.
By sharing the “OK to Fly” status with their airline, travellers can avoid all on-airport document checks.
How travellers can be ready-to-fly in the future:
- Create a verified digital identity using their airline app on their smartphone
- Using their digital identity, they can send proof of all required documentation to destination authorities in advance of travel
- Receive a digital ‘approval of admissibility’ in their digital identity/passport app
- Share the verified credential (not all their data) with their airline
- Receive confirmation from their airline that all is in order and go to the airport
Security of data
The new system has been developed to protect the data of passengers and ensure that travel remains accessible to all. Passengers remain in control of their data and only credentials (verified approvals, not the data behind them) are shared peer-to-peer (with no intermediating party).
Manual processing options will also be retained so that travellers will have the ability to opt out of the digital processing system.
