The digital ID intends to reduce the number of times travellers need to have their physical passports checked as they pass through multiple checkpoints and multiple airports each time they fly from one country to another.
The new digital ID saves time by using on-the-spot biometric facial scans to compare a person’s face with their passport photo, shared through a traveller’s digital wallet.
Passengers add their passport details to the Air NZ app and share them during online check-in and then use a verified digital ID throughout their airport journey.
“Our ambition is to make travel easier from start to finish. That means fewer document checks, less time queueing and a smoother experience overall,” said Air New Zealand’s chief customer and digital officer, Jeremy O’Brien.
“This trial shows how digital identity could help create a more seamless journey, while also improving security through encrypted data and customer-controlled information sharing.”
The March trial of the digital ID on flights between Auckland and Hong Kong combined many different stakeholders and elements of the travel ecosystem, including the New Zealand Traveller Declaration, the IATA Travel Directory, Hong Kong International Airport’s Flight Token framework and Air New Zealand’s check-in.
Air New Zealand is now looking at a larger trial of the digital ID, with Australia as a focus.
