Aviation stakeholders joined government representatives worldwide in mapping the adoption of digital identity, which is widely accepted to bring benefits to aviation security. Travel still depends on its main asset for security with the passport and the digital scanning capabilities that biometric technology can enable. The Digital Travel Credential has been set aside for decades into the future by many experts, whilst the present emphasis is on strengthening harmonious integrity of the passport to reduce fraud and unauthorised access.
Biometrics have consolidated smooth document verification that verify passengers and enhance their experience of travelling through airports. The security leaders in identifying the core technologies that will deliver innovation, set out to ensure global cooperation keeps “flying secure”.
“Adopting Verifiable Credentials and Decentralized Identifiers standards is a natural next step in reinforcing security, trust, and efficiency”, says Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President, Operations, Safety and Security.
Security “crosses geopolitical divides” hence the importance of meeting at the upcoming ICAO assembly later this year to obtain a recommendation, he continues.
“The technology is ready and proven. We now need to take the momentum of this meeting and work towards obtaining a recommendation at the upcoming ICAO assembly later this year,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President, Operations, Safety and Security.
Aviation security leaders at Sydney Leaders Week Conference also had key actions to strengthen governments’ regulatory oversight of security frameworks that incorporate Verifiable Credential and DID technologies.
IATA’s One ID initiative supports globally interoperable digital identity standards, enabling passengers to verify their travel documents before departure and move through the airport using biometric recognition instead of physical documents.
