Security procedures at Nội Bài Airport in Hà Nội. — Photo vietnamplus.vn

HÀ NỘI — The Civil Aviation Authority of Việt Nam (CAAV) has announced a plan to introduce facial recognition technology at airport check-in desks to enhance social order and security and streamline check-in procedures.

The high-tech biometric authentication technology will help reduce waiting times, increase accuracy, and allow authorities to better detect and prevent the use of fake documents by passengers and identify those who are prohibited from flying or are known criminals crossing borders.

This year, the CAAV will coordinate with the Airports Corporation of Việt Nam and Vân Đồn International Airport (the only private airport in the country) and other agencies in the aviation industry to deploy biometric authentication while citizens check-in for flights.

Facial recognition technology is set to be piloted at airports in the first quarter of 2023, with the results reported to the Ministry of Transport.

Since the start of this month, the use of biometrics and verification of chip-based ID cards have been piloted at Cát Bi International Airport in the northern province of Hải Phòng. The pilot is scheduled to last until the end of March.

In the pilot period, the airport has arranged a separate lane for domestic travellers with the new chipped ID cards. Facial recognition cameras have been deployed to cross-check the information of the passengers.

In the second quarter, the CAAV will hold a conference to discuss the requirements and regulations for the uniform implementation of biometrics verification.

In October 2022, the CAAV held a meeting with the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), Nội Bài International Airport, Vietnamese airlines, ground service companies, and the Ministry of Public Security's National Population Data Centre to discuss the use of chip-based citizen identification cards for check-in on select domestic flights.

The decision for official application will be made after a six-month trial period. — VNS