Delta introduces biometric boarding pass at Reagan Washington National Airport Customer fingerprints replace ID and boarding pass at Delta Sky Club during Phase 1

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PR Newswire 31-May-2017 2:35 PM
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WASHINGTON, May 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Imagine going from checking bags, into the Delta Sky Club and on to the aircraft without ever producing a boarding pass or printed ID. Soon, Delta SkyMiles Members enrolled in CLEAR traversing Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) will find out exactly what that's like.

Delta's (NYSE: DAL) biometric boarding pass experience is being tested at DCA, with Phase 1 already underway, allowing eligible Delta SkyMiles Members to forego a paper or mobile boarding pass and hard copy ID in favor of using fingerprints as proof of identity at the Delta Sky Club. Phase 2 would allow Members to use their fingerprints to check a bag, check in at the Delta Sky Club and board a flight.
"We're rapidly moving toward a day when your fingerprint, iris or face will become the only ID you'll need for any number of transactions throughout a given day," said Gil West, Delta COO. "We're excited Delta's partnership with CLEAR gives us an engine to pioneer this customer experience at the airport."
The DCA pilot will test how Delta and CLEAR systems work together while laying the foundation for Delta to deliver a more convenient customer experience broadly in the future. Being part of the initial test phase means that eligible customers will be able to traverse DCA as they do today and simply use their fingerprint instead of pulling out their ID and boarding pass.
Over the past year, Delta has led the industry on a number of innovative customer solutions like biometric-based self-service bag drop, RFID baggage handling, real-time bag tracking via the Fly Delta mobile app, more efficient and high tech automated screening lanes and a groundbreaking app that helps Delta pilots avoid turbulence for a more comfortable flight. Delta's partnership with CLEAR already gives exclusive rates to U.S.-based SkyMiles Members for a faster way through security lines at more than 20 airports nationwide, including DCA.
Findings from the DCA test will be analyzed to determine next steps for improving the process and broader implementation.
How it works
During the pilot, Delta customers with a SkyMiles number and who are also enrolled in CLEAR are eligible for the biometric boarding pass experience. CLEAR will capture and use both biometric and SkyMiles information to identify customers at bag drop, Delta Sky Club entry and boarding.
Phase 1: Eligible Members can now use their fingerprints to enter the Delta Sky Club only, using one of three scanners.
Phase 2: Delta plans to expand passenger biometrics as ID to Delta's ticket counter work stations for bag drops, Delta Sky Club desks for entrance verification, and at gates for boarding. With biometric boarding pass technology powered by CLEAR at all of these touch points, eligible Members would be able to traverse DCA using only their fingerprints.
"This is one way Delta is working to give our agents more time to interact with customers while increasing the speed and accuracy of ID and boarding pass verifications," West said. "It's a win for customers and employees, and will only get better as we move beyond the test phase."
Caryn Seidman-Becker, CLEAR CEO and co-founder added,"CLEAR is thrilled to be partnered with Delta on this pilot program as they continue their strategy tocreate secure, frictionless experiences for consumers throughout the airport."
About Delta
Delta Air Lines serves more than 180 million customers each year. In 2017, Delta was named to Fortune's top 50 Most Admired Companies in addition to being named the most admired airline for the sixth time in seven years. Additionally, Delta has ranked No.1 in the Business Travel News Annual Airline survey for an unprecedented six consecutive years. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 323 destinations in 59 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs more than 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 800 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industry's leading transatlanticjoint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia as well as a joint venture with Virgin Atlantic. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with key hubs and markets including Amsterdam, Atlanta,Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK and LaGuardia, London-Heathrow, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Tokyo-Narita. Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities, global products and services, and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on the Delta News Hub, as well as delta.com, Twitter @DeltaNewsHub, Google.com/+Delta, and Facebook.com/delta.
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SOURCE Delta Air Lines