The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has demonstrated the feasibility of a fully digital air travel experience through a proof-of-concept involving two travelers using digital wallets for a round-trip between Hong Kong and Tokyo, incorporating biometric identification for seamless airport processes.
IATA collaborated with several industry partners, including airlines and airports, to execute this successful live PoC, building on previous tests and integrating multiple digital credentials such as ePassports, visas, and boarding passes stored in digital wallets.
The pilot confirmed the effectiveness of IATA’s Modern Airline Retailing vision and One ID Standards, allowing travelers to pass through various airport checkpoints without showing physical documents, while also ensuring that traditional processing methods remain available as needed.
Key elements validated during the PoC included the suitability of industry standards for digital travel, successful interoperability among various credential issuers and systems, and the effectiveness of a Trusted Issuer Registry to verify the integrity of digital credentials for a potential widespread adoption in travel.
Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety, and Security shared: “A seamless fully digital travel experience powered by digital identity and biometrics has moved from theory to proven reality. The challenge now is to make this more efficient travel experience available to all travellers. There is good reason for optimism. With One ID standards already in place and the expansion of Modern Airline Retailing to support digital identity with the highest levels of data privacy and protection, the industry could be ready for this in the very near future. Government efforts to adopt digital travel credentials based on ICAO standards are picking up pace. Europe is already planning to issue Digital Identity Wallets to citizens and residents by 2027.”
