Air travelers in Germany will soon be able to check in completely digitally at airports and avoid long waiting times. "We are making the check-in process at airports more efficient, significantly reducing waiting times and enabling seamless digital and secure processing, on a voluntary basis," Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) told the newspapers of the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND, Wednesday editions). The federal government is moving forward with draft legislation through a cabinet decision on Wednesday.
The Cabinet in Berlin approved a draft law on digital passenger processing. The Federal Transport Ministry stated that the planned relief for passengers is "expected to be available as early as summer."
Passengers will be able to verify their identity digitally on their smartphones instead of having to present physical documents at every station in the airport, explained the Federal Association of the German Aviation Industry (BDL). The organization emphasized: "Other international and European hubs are already ahead, while Germany is holding itself back with analog processes and legal uncertainties."
In fact, "the processes for passenger handling from check-in to boarding the aircraft are currently essentially manual," Schnieder explained. "These processes should also function digitally in the future – with modern automated software systems that use biometric patterns." The minister stressed that participation will remain voluntary for passengers, and the traditional processing method will continue to be equally available.
The BDL outlined the future procedure for air travel: "The passenger checks in online before traveling to the airport and deposits their travel data as well as – voluntarily – biometric features such as their passport photo securely in the system.
At the airport, they no longer scan their passport and boarding pass multiple times, but are automatically recognized, for example, by facial recognition at baggage drop, security control and boarding. The system compares whether the checked-in person and the person authorized to travel are identical."
According to the ministry, the "digital travel chain" requires amendments to the Aviation Act as well as the Passport Act, the Identity Card Act, the Residence Act and the European Freedom of Movement Act. Schnieder expects "around 1.1 million hours less waiting time per year and relief of approximately 63 million euros annually" – partly because personnel deployment can be reduced.
According to his statements, digital passenger processing is even more secure as it makes the use of counterfeit passport and identification documents more difficult. The BDL urged: "Now it is crucial to pass the law quickly." Delays would weaken Germany's competitiveness, increase operating costs and reduce the attractiveness of locations in international air traffic.
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