What is it all about?
The Biometric Experience project is an ANA initiative to improve the quality of service and airport experience for passengers. This project is a collaboration between ANA — Aeroportos de Portugal, SATA Air Açores, and Azores Airlines, which are working continuously to improve travel processes at airports, to make the travel experience as fluid and pleasant as possible, avoiding stops at document checks, thanks to biometric scanning equipment and artificial intelligence. The journey thus becomes faster and more comfortable.
The objectives of this process are:
- Improve the passenger experience;
- Eliminate duplicate and repeated presentation of travel documents;
- Simplify airport processes;
- Strengthen security using biometrics and Artificial Intelligence;
- Support the manual tasks of airline agents to focus more on the passenger experience.
Main advantages for the passenger:
- Passengers will be able to use facial biometrics at departures;
- Once registered, passengers do not need to use boarding passes or identification documents;
- Easier and simpler travel through the airport, no stops, no queues, no paper;
- Technology, security, and comfort in the airport experience;
- Total confidentiality guarantee, as the data is deleted after the flight has departed.
Who can use this service?
Joining this process is optional and voluntary, and this facility is only available on designated flights for passengers with a citizen card, electronic passport, and of legal age.
How does it work?
Registration and use are simple.
Passengers have 3 options for registering and enjoying this biometric experience:
1 on the Biometric Experience by VINCI Airports mobile registration app, available on IOS and Android (download the app for Android here and for IOS here),
2 at the self-registration kiosks (available in the public departures area or next to the boarding gates for passengers transferring between flights at Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Madeira, and Ponta Delgada airports),
3 at assisted counters (available in the public departures area or next to the boarding gates for passengers transferring between flights at Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Madeira, and Ponta Delgada airports),
— at Ponta Delgada airport, the project will start with SATA Air Açores flights and then gradually include Azores Airlines flights.
Either way, the process is simple and only takes 1–2 minutes. Watch the explanatory video here.
Registration for each flight takes 4 steps:
- consent to the Privacy Notice,
- scanning the boarding pass,
- scanning your ID card * or electronic passport,
- photograph.
* Only available for registration at kiosks.
The boarding experience will be easier and faster, thanks to your biometric data scanning, without you having to present your boarding pass again.
This solution uses advanced algorithms to confirm the identity of the person presenting for travel and the name on the boarding pass with the photo and name on their identification document (ID card or electronic passport). Using this facility, passengers no longer have to repeatedly present physical or digital identity documents and proof of ticket throughout their journey.
Data privacy
This biometric scanning and artificial intelligence technology will simplify airport processes while respecting the privacy of personal data, and the identification and biometric data collected will be deleted once your flight has departed.
The Privacy and Consent Notice for the Biometric Experience project can be found here.
ANA's Privacy Policy can be consulted at www.ana.pt.
Find out more about this project here and at recuperarportugal.gov.pt.