Rockwell Collins unveils airport identity management suite

Airports have been seeking ways to automate passenger processing while maintaining the highest security levels and now Rockwell Collins is integrating its ARINC vMUSE and ARINC Veripax technologies with the Atkins Identity Management toolkit to capture a traveller’s identity using biometrics and match it with the passenger’s passport and boarding pass information.

ARINC vMUSE can accommodate a wide range of biometrics (for example, finger print, facial recognition or iris scan) to deliver a plug-and-play solution that can be implemented quickly and easily. The solution enables a phased rollout of biometric processing, with airline or gate-specific rules permitting biometrics to be used only when needed.

The integration will streamline passenger processing through the airport, from passenger identification at check-in to self-boarding gates. The systems are being demonstrated in stand 4045 at this week’s Passenger Terminal Expo 2015.

“Airports are seeking ways to improve operations and passenger flow while maintaining the rigorous security levels required today,” said Christopher Forrest, vice president, Global Airports for Rockwell Collins. “We’re creating a suite of self-service solutions that integrate biometric authentication into each phase of passenger processing, enabling airports to securely automate everything from check-in through boarding the airplane.”

As part of the initial implementation, ARINC vMUSE common-use passenger processing systems (CUPPS) now include standardized plug-ins and configurable work flow capabilities that enable airlines and airports to implement identity management solutions as part of the check-in process, without requiring changes to an airline’s Departure Control Systems (DCS).

“Combining Rockwell Collins’ experience deploying CUPPS technology at airports worldwide with our proven capabilities in developing and implementing biometric applications has allowed us to create a fully integrated identity management solution for airports,” said Nick Whitehead, head of strategic services, identity assurance at Atkins. “Airports can use this service to validate a passenger’s identity, ensuring that the individual given the authority to fly is actually the one who boards the plane.”