Airlines test biometric tech to replace boarding passes

NEW YORK — Boarding passes could soon be a thing of the past if trials of biometric technology by two U.S. airlines prove successful.

JetBlue Airways is testing facial-recognition technology on flights from Boston to Aruba, according to a press release from the airline.

Instead of using a boarding pass, passengers taking part in the trial pose for a photo. The photo is transmitted to a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol database, which matches the image to the passenger’s passport, visa, or immigration photos and verifies flight details.

Meanwhile, Delta Airlines is testing fingerprint-recognition technology to grant lounge access to customers enrolled in its rewards program, Bloomberg reported. Delta plans to extend the trial to check-in counters and boarding gates.

The airlines hope that biometric scanning will speed up boarding times and improve security.