The Australian government has implemented mobile ticketing for all airports around the country as a new digital transformation drive.
The mobile tickets will be issued by any airline operating international flights to and from Australia, allowing passengers to check in via smartphone, removing the need for them to visit a check in desk and show their passport before heading through security.
But it’s not just about making check in and passenger flow through the airport more efficient. It’s actually being used by law enforcement to identify those that may have committed crimes or be attempting to partake in a crime.
“Last financial year more than 21.4 million travellers were cleared through the border departing Australian international airports. This number will continue to rise,” Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Alan Tudge said in a statement.
“These increasing volumes mean we are always looking for ways to clear legitimate travellers efficiently and seek out those of interest to law enforcement.”
Australia has already introduced new technologies in all of its airports, such as smart gates that are already being used by almost three quarters of all travellers entering or leaving the country to date. Its next step is to introduce facial recognition, so every passenger will be checked as they pass through the airports. This means in many cases, passengers won’t even need to produce their passport when travelling.
“For the numbers of people coming through our airports, I want them to walk seamlessly down – off the A380 – and, in time, and we’re not far off this, with facial recognition on the move, people’s passports will stay in their pocket,” Australian Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton said when the announcement was made. “They will walk from the plane directly out to the curbside and depart the airport.”
