The existing airport experience has long been a common customer complaint. From long queues to the need for physical documents, customers desire a seamless and more efficient way to travel. Heidrun Holin, Senior Project Manager, Lufthansa Product Management Ground, said that the evolution to the new solution was "not only wanted, but also expected."

Finally, Star Alliance had to ensure that the new solution would protect its customers' personal data and privacy. Torsten Maus, Director, Services & Innovation at Star Alliance, said, "One of our main challenges in developing our platform was the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), one of the key terms of data protection within Europe to which we had to adhere."

To enroll in the Star Alliance Biometrics platform, passengers follow just a few easy steps using a mobile device. Upon completion, passengers immediately have an interoperable Digital ID that significantly improves the travel experience. Holin said, "What makes the Star Alliance Biometrics platform special is that, as a passenger, you can enroll wherever and whenever you want, and you can use it on any Lufthansa or SWISS flight without having to enroll again."

With a network of 26 member airlines, the Star Alliance Biometrics platform can work across different locations while delivering a consistent travel experience. Raffie Beroukhim, Senior Vice President and Chief Experience Officer at NEC Corporation of America, said, "So often, we see an identity management system in one terminal, but when you arrive or depart to come back home, it's another experience. The scalability and interoperability of this platform are key to the expansion of Digital ID and biometrics in the aviation field."

Through the partnership with Star Alliance, NEC is also fulfilling its long-term vision of identity management using the NEC I:Delight platform. As Beroukhim explained, "Adding more terminals with biometrics through our partnership with Star Alliance will generate a buzz that will enable more enrollments and more use of the technology. NEC I:Delight is a trusted independent partner with our providers to ensure travelers have a safe, secure and verified Digital ID. Having multiple touchpoints throughout the customer journey is very important to the continuous growth of the platform for aviation and beyond."

Looking ahead, NEC and Star Alliance are excited about opportunities to expand upon this technology and improve the entire passenger journey. The use of a Digital ID can also extend beyond the airport experience to provide a truly personalized experience for passengers at VIP lounges, retail shops, hotels and more. As Draeger shared, "We want to extend biometric features because the customer will expect to have a similar service not just for air travel but also when he rents a car or accesses his hotel room. The customer will expect to have a holistic experience from an identity management perspective."