"First e-mail, now Asia's e-airport"

Wednesday, October 20, 2004

First e-mail, now Asia's e-airport
Cable News Network (CNN)

 
If you are wondering how the latest technology, including biometric
identification, could affect your Asian business travel experience, visit
Tokyo's Narita airport.

The Japanese capital's international travel hub has already tested a new
high-tech system as part of its "e-airport" program.

Every day, between 20 and 30 fliers, mostly business travelers, use face and
iris-recognition to check-in with Japan Airlines (JAL). Already, 2,500
people have registered to use the system.

"We believe by using improved technology (we may soon allow) non-stop (air
travel)," says Tsutomu Akiba of Japan Airlines.

"Passengers will not have to stop any more -- at the check-in, at the
security gate, at immigration and at boarding."

Like other developments at European and North American airports, Narita
hopes its e-airport system will help speed up the flow of passenger traffic.

Eventually the system in Tokyo will incorporate electronic baggage tags
called "e-tags" that use RFID, or radio frequency identification. It will
also allow navigation in the airport via global positioning systems using
mobile devices.

However, Japan's Immigration authorities will only be able to accept
biometric passports using iris-recognition by 2005. It currently does not
use the technology rolled out by JAL at Narita airport.

"The check-in is faster and smooth. The security is smooth, but immigration
at this time is still jammed," says Akiba.

In other developments, frequent fliers and holders of specific credit cards
at Tokyo's central Haneda Airport will soon be able to board domestic
flights by pressing a "touch-and-go" smart card against a reader at the
gate.

The government is also considering a new system that would require lodging
facilities in Japan to verify the identity of visitors from overseas,
according to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun newspaper.

The aim would be to swiftly discover potential terrorists staying in Japan,
although tourism-related industries could oppose the move.

E-airport in its infancy
Elsewhere in Asia, the e-airport concept is still in its infancy. Cathay
Pacific in Hong Kong now allows frequent fliers and passengers who have
bought tickets on the Internet to check in by themselves.

The carrier's CXpress check-in kiosks also allow fliers to print boarding
passes and select seats for the Hong Kong to Taipei flight.

Thai Airways also has one-stop kiosks for domestic flights. At most major
Thai airports passengers can purchase tickets within five hours of departure
and check themselves in.

One of the looming questions still remaining for the e-airport concept is
whether the technology locked up in your ID, passport or frequent flier
cards will work at other airports.

"It is still unclear whether you will have to register separately in
different countries," says Will Knight from New Scientist magazine.

"It would be very easy to share that information. But it raises a lot of
issues for travelers who may not want their government to share information
with foreign governments as well," says Knight.

Attached Photo:

The questions remains: Will you be able to use the technology locked up in
your ID cards at all airports?

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