Vision-Box, the global leader in biometric-based travel solutions, in a strategic partnership with ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal /VINCI Airports, announces the official launch of the “Biometric Experience by VINCI Airports” across Portugal’s five biggest airports.

The program aimed at transforming the travel experience, was launched at the beginning of this year in Lisbon and Porto airports and will be available during the second half of 2024 in Faro, Funchal, and Ponta Delgada. This transformational program positions Portugal at the forefront of Seamless Travel Experiences, covering the key airports in the country.

Funded by the European Union through the NextGenerationEU program and by the Portuguese Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) through the “Accelerate and Transform Tourism Agenda” the “Biometric Experience by VINCI Airports” powered by Vision-Box, signifies a major leap toward digitization in the European travel industry and sustainability in global tourism.

The initial phase of the program is being enabled on TAP Air Portugal flights within the Schengen space. In a subsequent phase, additional airlines, and a broader array of destinations, encompassing extra-European flights, will be incorporated.

The initiative program consists of the overall automation of the traveller journey with biometrics, ushering in a new era of seamless and contactless journeys at the airports in Portugal, where a traveller’s face becomes the only thing needed to fly.

The entire biometric experience is orchestrated by Vision-Box’s Seamless Journey Platform^®, which integrates all stakeholders into one single journey and identity management ecosystem.

The experience starts with enrolment, where the traveller can enrol at home effortlessly via ANA Aeroportos’ mobile app, powered by Vision-Box Seamless Mobile^® SDK.

Alternatively, at the airport, travellers can register on their own at biometrically enabled self-service check-in kiosks via Vision-Box’s Seamless Kiosks^® or assisted at check-in counters via Vision-Box’s Seamless Desk^®.

Once enrolled the traveller can breeze through the airport by only using their face at biometrically enabled Vision-Box’s Security Gates and when time to fly, at the boarding process of selected flights via biometric Vision-Box’s Self-Boarding Gates, all powered by cutting edge AI-enabled Vision-Box’s Facial Recognition Algorithm.

This innovative partnership brings numerous advantages, emphasizing efficiency, security, and convenience for travellers and stakeholders, eliminating the need for traditional boarding passes and travel identification documents, in a privacy-by-design ecosystem.

Through the investment in cutting-edge contactless biometrics, ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal and the Portuguese government are streamlining processes, enhancing operational efficiency, and infrastructure optimization, while ensuring a better customer experience at Portuguese airports and fostering an interconnected data ecosystem between trusted stakeholders.

Introducing the biometrically enabled seamless journey ecosystem at the five biggest Portuguese airports perfectly aligns with Portugal’s strategic goals for growth in the tourism sector. In the 3rd quarter of 2023, national airports experienced a remarkable growth of 13.1%, handling 20.9 million passengers compared to the same period in 2022. With the implementation of the Biometric Experience program, Vision-Box, VINCI Airports and Portugal further solidified their positions as leaders in Seamless Travel Experiences, paving the way for accommodating even larger numbers of passengers efficiently.

According to Thierry Ligonnière, CEO of ANA Aeroportos, “We are very excited about this launch, which represents the most advanced investment in innovation at airports with tangible results for the traveller experience. Facial recognition technology will enable a faster, simpler journey where travellers gain comfort and time, ensuring complete security and confidentiality of their data and the process. We are excited about this launch and the expansion of biometrics to more airlines and airports, making the boarding process even more efficient.”

Miguel Leitmann, CEO and Founder at Vision-Box states “Vision-Box is proud to be further taking the lead in Seamless Travel Experiences. As pioneers in biometric-based travel solutions, the launch of the ‘Biometric Experience by VINCI Airports’ in our home country, underscores our commitment to redefining the traveller journey in Europe and globally. This project represents a dedication from Vision-Box to elevate service quality, enhance the airport experience, and contribute to Portugal’s tourism goals with paperless arrivals and departures. We are proud to support this program, reflecting our commitment to revolutionizing seamless travel practices globally and taking one step forward towards a more connected world.”