Air Canada announced that it has launched Digital ID, becoming the first airline in Canada authorized to offer customers the security and convenience of a new option that uses facial recognition technology to confirm identification. . As part of a pilot project currently underway, Air Canada’s digital ID is now available to customers departing from Vancouver International Airport when boarding select flights to Winnipeg, and for eligible customers entering Café Air Canada at Pearson International Airport from Toronto. Air Canada plans to expand digital ID options at select Canadian airports and Maple Leaf Lounges as part of its pilot phase.

As part of a pilot project currently underway, Air Canada’s digital ID is now available to customers departing from Vancouver International Airport when boarding select flights to Winnipeg, and for eligible customers entering Café Air Canada at Pearson International Airport from Toronto.

“Many of our customers are already using digital credentials to simplify their daily activities, such as unlocking cell phones, accessing workplaces, verifying identity during financial transactions, etc. We are very excited to now take a leadership position in Canada and pilot facial recognition digital ID Technology to validate customer identification quickly, securely and accurately at selected airport touch points “Participation in digital ID is voluntary. Customers who choose to use digital ID will benefit from a streamlined and seamless process at the gate and upon entering our Maple Leaf Lounges.” said Craig Landry, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Air Canada.

“Our government and Canadian airlines and airports look forward to moving forward with innovative solutions and technologies to modernize the traveler journey at airports across the country, enabling a smoother and more efficient air transportation system. Air Canada’s pilot project will speed up processes at Vancouver and other airports where it operates, while adhering to strict privacy and security standards. This project has great potential to make boarding at the gate easier and faster for Canadian passengers, while maintaining strong security measures. » said the Honorable Omar Alghabra, Canada’s Minister of Transport.

Customers eligible to use the Air Canada Café in Toronto and customers on select flights from Vancouver to Winnipeg will receive an invitation to use the digital ID option and instructions on how to create their secure fingerprint before arriving at the airport.

Customers who do not wish to use digital ID can simply board as they currently do by presenting their boarding pass and government-issued photo ID for manual ID screening and processing. Additionally, customers can choose to continue to manually scan their boarding passes as they currently do to enter Café Air Canada at Toronto Pearson.

Digital ID is a unique registration feature in the Air Canada app. Biometric data is encrypted and stored only on the customer’s mobile phone. Customers must provide additional consent for the data to be used on the day of travel and will only be retained for a maximum of 36 hours, subject to Air Canada’s rigorous privacy and security standards.