The experts weigh in on the evolution of biometric technology in travel retail and what is to come

Biometric technology is quickly becoming the center of frictionless travel, where innovative solutions streamline processes like booking, check-in, security and boarding to create a more relaxed and efficient passenger journey. “We’re now seeing its value extend into travel retail – where seamless, secure and personalized experiences are in high demand,” comments Adrian Thompson, Founder & Chief Solution Architect at imageHOLDERS. “Biometrics bridge the gap between operational efficiency and elevated customer experience, making it easier to serve passengers at every step of their journey, including within retail spaces.” When it comes to travel retail, biometric technology helps to reduce queue times and increase dwell times in retail areas, unlocking new revenue opportunities for airports, retailers and brands.

Specializing in self-service and assisted-self-service solutions, imageHOLDERS designs and builds interactive kiosks and device enclosures for various industries such as retail and hospitality. The company’s solutions and products are highly modular, future-proof and accessible. Thompson says the three core drivers behind the adaptation of biometric systems in airport travel retail environments are: a rise among traveler expectations for convenience, retail personalization and operational efficiency. On the passenger side, biometrics can connect an individual to loyalty programs and preferences, enabling targeted offers and a curated retail journey. Whereas for retailers and airports, biometrics streamline processes, reduce friction and improve customer flow – especially when time is tight and during peak hours.  

“Imagine a traveler walking into duty free and instantly being recognized as a loyalty member – they receive targeted offers based on past purchases or flight details, and can make purchases with minimal authentication. It feels effortless, premium and safe,” says Thompson. “This not only improves the user experience but also boosts conversion and dwell time for retailers.”

As a leader in air transport industry technology, SITA’s biometric solutions are designed to be modular, allowing airports to deploy step-by-step or across the full passenger journey. Stephen Challis, Senior Product Manager, Airports at SITA, says the integration of personalized services with loyalty programs, boarding time alerts or language preferences are all tied to a secure digital identity which results in a more tailored, stress-free experience increasing both satisfaction and spend.

“We already provide biometric recognition technology to speed up the purchasing process by automatically sending ID and boarding pass data to retailers’ in-store EPOS systems,” remarks Challis. “This saves a passenger having to present their documents in the store, saving time and making things much easier and faster for all.”

Facial recognition leads the way

While different regions worldwide have implemented different modalities, facial recognition is currently the most widely used biometric technology in air travel because of its speed, accuracy and contactless nature. It also has the ability to perform 1:1 matching using the biometric data in most passports. According to Rob Sutton, Director of Solution Enablement for Aviation and Travel at HID, “In travel retail, we have seen various modalities implemented for different use cases from the adoption of facial biometrics in Hong Kong for payment to the widespread utilization of palm biometrics at the numerous Just Walk Out stores in airports across the United States and Europe.”

Sutton says biometrics – specifically facial recognition – could significantly enhance the duty free shopping experience by automating many manual tasks while reducing human error. For example, facial recognition could be used for age verification in the purchasing of alcohol and tobacco. Biometric systems could also be integrated with airline and/or airport systems to validate the allowances based on the passenger’s destination and automate the shipping process.

Daon’s President of the Americas, Bob Long, suggests that duty free delivery could potentially be made more streamlined and secure through facial recognition by using a locker-style system, similar to a big box store. Focused on providing solutions for identity verification, authentication and fraud prevention, the company has already carried out its technology into vending solutions to allow adults to purchase alcohol at sporting events and golf courses. “The same technology can be applied to a locker-style machine to ensure the right person gets their purchase while minimizing staffing requirements and reducing the number of hands touching a product,” explains Long. He reveals this could also work in the case of over-the-counter drugs or medicines for passengers.

Available across over 60 airports globally, from mobile to boarding, SITA Smart Path provides facial recognition at multiple touchpoints to allow for more streamlined travel. “Integration is seamless with airport infrastructure via cloud, on-premises or hybrid systems, and with airline systems through platforms like SITA Flex, allowing biometrics to work with existing common-use terminals. This integration supports retail by streamlining access to airside shopping areas and providing real-time personalization potential,” says Challis.

Long list of challenges  

The scalability and adaptability of biometrics at an international level is a key challenge that the industry is working on via multiple channels. One organization that HID actively participates in is IATA’s One ID initiative. “Through this initiative and associated working groups IATA, its member airlines and strategic partners are working to develop a global framework for the widespread use of biometrics throughout the travel journey to include airport retailers,” says Sutton. He admits arguably the most complex aspect is data privacy. “It is important that retailers have clear and explicit consent mechanisms in place while ensuring that only necessary data is collected and the data is stored and transmitted via secure mechanisms,” he adds.

One of the largest technical challenges to overcome is integration – connecting biometric systems to legacy airport infrastructure, payment gateways, loyalty programs and retailer systems. “Logistics can also be challenging: airports are complex, secure environments with limited downtime for installation and updates,” says Thompson. “Additionally, ensuring high accuracy across a diverse passenger base and varying lighting conditions in retail spaces can require calibration.”

Retailers must also consider the robust network required for data transfer and management, physical positioning and space constraints, as well as ongoing staff training and maintenance. Thompson points out, any biometric solution that is proposed needs to have a small physical footprint and be user-friendly to increase overall adoption.

On the flip side, Long believes the number one challenge will be the number of travelers who are willing to consent to their biometric template being stored by travel related organizations. “People love convenience, especially when traveling, but acquiring the majority of travelers as participants will be the task to solve. While biometrics are becoming more ubiquitous, an established relationship is still a key factor in adoption,” he states.

The tipping point

Expecting biometric technology to evolve from a convenience to a core enabler of both retail personalization and operational efficiency, Challis shares in the next five years biometrics will support curb-to-gate shopping, loyalty integration (tied to identity verification) and payment solutions within the travel environment. Biometrics will also drive wider adoption of mobile-based digital credentials that passengers can use across airports, airlines, retailers and hotels. “Biometrics will become the digital backbone of the entire travel and retail journey. Just like the widespread shift from cash to digital payments.”

Alongside an increase in the implementation of Just Walk Out technology across airport retail establishments, passengers will see an uptick in the combined use of artificial intelligence and biometrics. This will allow for real-time anomaly detection adding an extra layer of fraud prevention by flagging unusual purchasing patterns. Sutton concludes, “By combining technology such as the HID Facepod with other hardware such as the U.ARE.U Camera Identification System, airport retailers can future-proof their offerings while enhancing the overall customer experience and allowing their employees to focus on delivering exceptional personalized customer service.”

A word from DFWC

On the topic, Duty Free World Council (DFWC) President Sarah Branquinho tells GTR Magazine advances in biometric technology will be broadly welcomed by the duty free industry, however, the industry needs to be part of the discussion at the moment to ensure that its systems and processes are incorporated into the movement. She acknowledges the industry needs to be bold to fully capitalize on the potential.

Branquinho says, “Our current transactions rely on producing a boarding card at the tills. When biometric technology supersedes boarding passes, how will our systems be adapted to meet the new ‘normal,’ and what will the cost be?

She notes the biggest prize lies in the potential to personalize the shopping experience for each individual shopper should data be shared between the airlines, airports and retailers. However, existing challenges linked to commercial and data protection will require innovative thinking to resolve – especially since the duty free industry is still reluctant to share its own data.

“As with the introduction of all new technologies, the pace of adoption will vary greatly across airports and even airlines globally and as regulations on the use of biometric technologies are likely to vary significantly across different territories there will be significant potential for travelers’ confusion during the transition phase,” adds Branquinho. “We have seen with the introduction of new generation scanning technology, how communication to passengers from airports and airlines needs to be clear and consistent.”