Security checks in Hà Nội's Nội Bài International Airport. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has urged the Ministry of Transport to extend the pilot programme for passenger biometric authentication at airports.

Following a trial period at Cát Bi International Airport in Hải Phòng City, the CAA has concluded that the benefits and limitations of the technology were not fully demonstrated.

As such, the CAA has requested additional time to pilot and learn from experience to develop the most effective and appropriate biometric authentication application.

To implement biometric authentication for flight check-ins in compliance with general legal regulations and specialised civil aviation laws, the CAA has also suggested that the Ministry of Transport revise and supplement regulations on airline travel documents and passenger information.

This would involve including electronic identification accounts (level 2) in the list of acceptable substitutes for personal identification documents used for air travel to reduce the number of travel documents required for passengers.

In addition, the CAA has proposed to amend and supplement regulations on airline travel documents encouraging the use of documents integrated into the electronic identification and authentication account system or the citizenship identity data system and passports.

Regulations on the collection, management and use of passenger information should be further clarified.

CAA has also requested the aviation agencies and units to urgently implement the CAA’s guidance on speeding up the project of developing the application of population data, electronic identity and authentication for national digital transformation in the period of 2022-2025 that was approved under the Prime Minister's Decision No. 06/QD-TTg dated January 6, 2023.

Earlier this year, the Airports Corporation of Việt Nam (ACV) piloted a biometric authentication system for passengers who use electronic identity cards in the aviation security check process.

Cát Bi International Airport in Hải Phòng was the first airport to install the testing equipment and software from February 1, 2023. VNS