Scandinavian Airline Passengers Asked to Show the Finger
Source: thelocal.se
Passengers on many SAS flights from Stockholm and Gothenburg will in future be asked to give their fingerprints when checking in bags.
The new technology will be used on half of the Scandinavian airline's domestic flights in Sweden. The airline says using fingerprint sensors will improve security.
Under the new system, passengers will be asked to run their index finger over a reader when they check in luggage. They will then be asked to give another fingerprint when they board the plane.
The fingerprints will be used to ensure that passengers who check in bags also board the plane.
Airlines are obliged by law to match passengers with bags, a measure intended to make it harder to sabotage an aircraft. This requirement is currently enforced by asking passengers to show ID before boarding. SAS says passengers will still be able to refuse to give their fingerprints, but insist that the fingerprint technology is secure and easier than other methods.
"Using fingerprints as identification will make our customers' journeys easier. It is entirely voluntary, as ordinary identification documents will still be an alternative. Personal integrity is protected, as the information about the fingerprint is erased after the flight," said Susanne Dahlberg of SAS Sverige.
SAS Sverige has previously introduced the system at regional airports around the country. There are now plans to use the system for international flights.
Article from: http://www.thelocal.se/9807/20080129/
