Following a successful pilot test, high-speed train operator Eurostar is rolling out a face-scan check-in system, called SmartCheck, at London's St Pancras train station.
The biometric check-in system is available to 'Business Premier' passengers and 'Carte Blanche' holders who will be able to register their identity papers, ticket and face in an app (iProov) beforehand. After doing so, these passengers need only scan their face at the station.
"This will save time and avoid queues at ticket and exit control at the UK border in the station," Eurostar said.
However, the SmartCheck option is not available to the majority of passengers who hold Standard or Standard Premier tickets. In addition, Business Premier and Carte Blanche ticket holders will still have to go through baggage control and also still need to show their passports to the French border officers at the London station.
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The system makes Eurostar the first railway company to use biometric facial recognition, a press release said. "Ensuring our passengers can check in easily and quickly is a crucial part of the Eurostar travel experience," explained CEO Gwendoline Cazenave. "We are constantly looking for solutions to increase capacity in our stations and improve passenger flows."
According to the company, the personal data of passengers will be stored securely on their smartphones and will only be shared with the ticket gate and passport control systems. It will be stored on Eurostar systems for 48 hours and deleted after the journey.
Further rollout of the facial recognition check-in system to other stations, such as Bruxelles-Midi, is "not currently on the agenda," Eurostar added.
