Air France-KLM Launches Biometric Trials at JFK and IAH for Air France Flights

Air France-KLM announced that it is expanding its use of biometrics with the commencement of trials at John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York City and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston for its Air France flights. Air France-KLM, as part of its ongoing commitment to using digital innovation to elevate the customer experience, aims to implement one-step biometric boarding using facial recognition at all airports it operates out of in the United States. The trials are being conducted in close collaboration with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and will serve the more than 2,200 daily passengers that fly with Air France from JFK and IAH.

With these trials, Air France-KLM examines the technology’s speed, reliability, and user-friendliness. It also examines the boarding process and the passenger experience. The ultimate goal is to make the boarding process as quick and easy as possible for passengers.

“We are excited to embrace an innovation that has the potential to make the travel experience less stressful and more secure for our passengers,” said Stephane Ormand, vice president and general manager, Air France KLM USA. “Our aim is to implement biometric boarding at 93% of all US airports by the year’s end, and 100 percent by 2020.”

Currently, Air France and KLM passengers departing from Atlanta, Los Angeles, Dallas Fort-Worth, Detroit, Dulles, San Francisco, and Seattle are able to utilize biometric boarding. Other gateways are in various stages of testing. Biometric boarding is available to passengers traveling in any class of service.

Air France-KLM recently expanded service in the United States with the launch of direct flights to Paris aboard Air France from Dallas Fort-Worth (DFW), and direct flights to Amsterdam aboard KLM from Las Vegas (LAS) and Boston (BOS.)