The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that Air New Zealand and Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) are the first organisations to achieve One ID Certification, recognising their compliance with global industry standards for digital identity and biometric technology.
The certifications were presented at the IATA World Passenger Symposium (WPS) in Macao.
The certification provides airlines, airports and
governments with assurance that an organisation’s use of digital identity and
biometrics meets IATA’s One ID standards, supporting more seamless passenger
journeys while protecting personal information and privacy.
One ID establishes global standards for using digital
identity and biometrics throughout the passenger journey. The initiative aims
to enable travellers to verify their identity and travel documents before
arriving at the airport, then pass through checkpoints using facial recognition
rather than repeatedly presenting passports and boarding passes.
According to IATA’s 2026 Global Passenger Survey, 78% of
passengers would be willing to share their biometric information to avoid
presenting physical travel documents at airport checkpoints.
"Digital identity can make travel much simpler for
passengers, but only if everyone involved in the journey trusts how others
verify identity, handle biometric data, and protect privacy. One ID
Certification gives them that assurance. Air New Zealand and Hong Kong
International Airport are among the industry's leaders in using One ID-enabled
digital identity to improve the passenger experience. As the first
organizations to be certified, they have set the benchmark for others to
follow," said Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President, Operations,
Safety and Security.
Certification Covers Four Key Areas
Organisations can achieve certification in one or more of
four areas: Digitalization of Admissibility, Contactless Travel, Biometric
Handling, and Privacy, Consent, and Governance. The programme is open to
airlines, airports and technology providers.
As the first certified organisations, Air New Zealand and
HKIA achieved certification across all areas applicable to their respective
operations, demonstrating their commitment to implementing digital identity
solutions in line with international standards.
HKIA's Flight Token system has introduced biometric
identification across the departure journey, allowing eligible passengers to
use facial recognition at key airport checkpoints.
“Flight Token, Hong Kong International Airport’s
self-service biometric identification system, has transformed the departure
journey by enabling passengers to travel through key airport checkpoints using
facial recognition. Today, more than 80% of departing passengers at HKIA are
eligible to use Flight Token across all checkpoints of the departure journey.
Since its launch in 2021, more than 93 million passengers have used Flight
Token to date. Achieving One ID Certification confirms that HKIA’s digital identity
and biometric processes align with IATA’s global standards. As we work with
airlines, airports, and government authorities to expand Flight Token beyond
Hong Kong, this certification provides a trusted foundation for interoperable
and seamless digital travel,” said Vivian Cheung, Chief Executive Officer of
Airport Authority Hong Kong.
Air New Zealand highlighted the importance of
customer-focused innovation and data protection, drawing on its trial with HKIA
to demonstrate how digital identity can work across international borders.
"Air New Zealand has a proud history of innovation and
problem-solving, and we always start with our customer and what’s going to make
things easier. Our trial with Hong Kong International Airport showed how
digital identity could work across borders, reducing the need for documentation
and queuing, but it also showed that customers can trust us to keep their
information safe. The certification recognizes the work we've done to date and
the importance we place on protecting our customers' personal information as we
explore new ways to improve the travel experience over time,” said Jeremy
O'Brien, Chief Customer & Digital Officer, Air New Zealand.
Supporting Wider Industry Adoption
IATA is advancing the wider adoption of digital identity
through collaboration with governments to remove regulatory barriers, including
supporting the issuance and acceptance of Digital Travel Credentials for
international travel.
Its initiatives also include the Contactless Travel
Directory, which helps airlines, airports and border authorities connect with
multiple partners for biometric identification, and Timatic AutoCheck, which
automates travel document verification.
Certified organisations will be publicly listed in a planned
IATA One ID trust registry, enabling industry stakeholders to identify
organisations that meet the relevant standards.
IATA said the certification programme is intended to build trust, support interoperability and accelerate the adoption of secure digital identity solutions, helping make international air travel more efficient and seamless for passengers. -TTN