http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/main.jhtml?xml=/travel/2006/10/07/etbiometrics07.xml
Swedes lead in air security
(Filed: 07/10/2006)
By Danielle Demetriou
A Swedish airline claims to have come up with a system to ensure rogue
bags will never find their way on to aircraft without their owners.
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Scandinavian Airlines is conducting a four-week trial of the new
biometric security measures on its domestic flights. Starting next
week, travellers departing from Lulea airport on the Baltic Sea will
have their index finger scanned when they check in their luggage. A
second scan will be made at the departure gate.
The procedure ensures the person handling the baggage is the same as
the passenger boarding the aircraft. Fingerprints are stored
temporarily and deleted after the departure of the flight.
If the trial is successful, Scandinavian Airlines will introduce the
new biometric technique at airports throughout Sweden this autumn and
extend its use to international flights.
Passengers are not legally obliged to provide their fingerprints, but
most people taking part in the trial have done so, according to
Ingegerd Olsbro-Fehrm of Scandinavian Airlines.
"This system is the first of its kind," she said. "It is more secure
than people checking ID on boarding the planes. It is also a quicker
way for passengers to pass through the gate to board, as they don't
need to show ID cards."
British airlines have been looking at a similar system, but no date has
been set for its introduction.
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