The Role Of Tech In The Future Of Seamless Airport Journeys

Brian Tossan is the chief technology officer of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority.

Think about the frictions you may have noticed during an airport experience: long lines, inefficient check-ins and tedious document checks. Now imagine these interactions replaced by a swift, seamless journey from departure to arrival.

This transformation is already happening, driven by emerging technologies revolutionizing travel while meeting the growing demand for contactless interactions. However, as the number of airline passengers in North America approaches record highs, safety and efficiency are paramount.

Understanding Travel Friction

Travel friction refers to the interruptions travelers experience from departure to arrival, including presenting identity and travel documents, passing through secure areas, boarding flights and reaching their destinations. These interruptions, while essential for security, can pose challenges. Travelers with disabilities face difficulties in navigating airports, handling documents and using kiosks, while visually impaired travelers struggle with audible-only cues and the need for assistance.

Issues like losing boarding passes or technical glitches with electronic documents add to the delays. Families and groups must coordinate multiple documents, which is particularly challenging with young children or elderly travelers. Language barriers and technological adaptation further exacerbate these frictions.

New technologies are helping reduce travel friction without compromising safety. Biometric verification systems streamline the process by reducing reliance on physical documents. Enhanced mobile apps minimize the risk of losing boarding passes. Accessibility features in kiosks and apps, multilingual support and dedicated assistance services ensure smoother navigation for travelers with disabilities or language barriers.

The Rise Of Contactless Journeys

Contactless technology can help reduce travel friction. From touchless document scanning to contactless payment systems and facial recognition for check-in and boarding, these advancements are revolutionizing airport interactions. The reduction of physical contact improves health and safety while streamlining the passenger experience. Other industries have already embraced biometric identification, offering mobile digital room keys and using biometrics for secure transactions and account access.

For example, Toronto Pearson Airport, where I work, recently opened The Goods Express, an Amazon “Just Walk Out” technology store. Travelers can grab their essentials without waiting in line. After simply swiping a credit card to enter, they can gather their items and exit as their cards get automatically charged. A similar example can be seen at Washington Dulles International Airport, which features this technology at a Hudson Nonstop store.

Innovative Identity Verification Solutions

The evolution of the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA’s) screening process from a post-9/11 “one-size-fits-all” approach to an intelligence-driven, risk-based strategy exemplifies the shift toward smarter travel. Programs like TSA PreCheck expedite screening for more than 1 million known and trusted travelers, significantly reducing waiting times.

In a similar vein, Toronto Pearson, the second busiest airport in North America for international traffic, handles 276 inbound international flights daily and processes more than 21.3 million international arrivals annually. To address congestion and extended wait times at the Canada Border Services Agency, Toronto Pearson has implemented measures to enhance transparency on wait times. However, a truly seamless journey requires both origin and destination airports to be frictionless. Many countries are considering national strategies for seamless, biometric travel to integrate origin-destination processing, including baggage handling.

Globally, airports are employing biometric identity systems like DigiYatra in India, operational in nearly 30 airports. For a sense of scale, it’s been used 19 million times since April 2024, reducing airport entry time from 15 seconds to five seconds. At Frankfurt Airport, the goal is to implement the biometric identification system at at least 50% of the checkpoints throughout the airport. This airport-led initiative highlights the potential for broader adoption of biometric technology.

Digital Identification And Mobile Integration

Emerging technologies like digital IDs and mobile driver’s licenses are beginning to streamline U.S. airport travel processes, with several states already integrating these alongside traditional IDs. Idemia’s Credential Authentication Technology is enhancing TSA checkpoints, ensuring faster and more secure verifications.

Air Canada has introduced digital identification, becoming the first airline in Canada approved to offer facial recognition technology for identity verification. Currently, the airline is using this technology independently for lounge access, with ongoing trials aimed at refining policies based on industry insights.

Future plans involve expanding biometric capabilities to include check-in kiosks for baggage tag printing and trials for security screening and live gate boarding this year. Efforts are also progressing toward a “common use” solution that supports diverse digital ID systems, led by the Canada Border Services Agency in its early developmental phases.

Biometric Technology And Self-Boarding

Biometric technology is another advancement in reducing travel friction. For example, Oakland International Airport utilizes Idemia’s biometric technology to verify travelers departing the U.S. Similarly, Newark Liberty International Airport initiated a biometric self-boarding pilot program years ago, while Los Angeles International Airport employs facial recognition systems to bolster security and streamline border control.

Additionally, SITA and VisionBox systems are pivotal in border control across airports worldwide, advocating for widespread adoption of their solutions. However, challenges such as “biometric bias” necessitate ongoing technological refinement to mitigate issues like false reads, false IDs and biases driven by AI algorithms.

Streamlined Airport Procedures

Several key airport procedures are undergoing revolutionary changes:

• Positive ID Check: Biometric technologies like facial recognition and fingerprint scanning can expedite passenger verification processes. Initiatives like IATA One ID offer a contactless airport experience based on biometric recognition, ensuring consistency and smoothness across airlines, airports and governments.

• Security: Advanced scanning technologies such as millimeter-wave and CT scanners can enhance the efficiency of security checks. These innovations enable quicker and more thorough screening, reducing wait times while maintaining high safety standards.

• Bag Drop: Self-service bag-drop kiosks empower passengers to independently handle their luggage check-in, saving time and minimizing errors.

A New Meaning To ‘Less Is More’

Frictionless airport experiences will be achieved by continuous innovation and the integration of advanced technologies. Future airports will offer unparalleled travel experiences where efficiency, personalization and safety converge to enhance the entire passenger journey. Finding ways to link this digital journey seamlessly with multimodal transportation options like rail, public transit and commercial transportation network companies will likely redefine the modern travel experience.

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