Biometric access to LH lounges (trial at MUC)
 

I'm in the SEN lounge at MUC and outside the doors there are a couple of gentlemen asking passengers to participate in a trial where lounge access is granted using biometric data (i.e. a face scan).

I was taken a bit by surprise so I ended up participating, but I think this is a completely idiotic idea.

There is absolutely no reason to implement this, apart from spending a few millions to help out a friend's consulting company.

LH, if you are listening: can this idea immediately.

@TSA & US: Can stop fingerprinting/humiliation for entry to USA
 

The use of face recognition would be great for travelling to the USA.

This will stop the procedure of taking fingerprints which is really humiliating. In Germany normally this is a sign of someone being accused being criminal.

Therefore: In the right context the face scan is great. But not for lounge access.

It could help to ease access everyhere where you would have to show a passport. Due to the fact that the erkennungsdienstliches Foto (biometric photo) is already on every new passport. @:-)

Astonishingly enough Deutsche Post AG also tries to collect face recognition data at the moment. :td:

But fingerprints aren't being taken because Germany/LH wants them, but because USA CBP wants them - I fail to see how this will have any impact on travel to USA.

Stop of fingerprinting will allure travellers
 

If face recognition works flawless Germany and its flag carrier could suggest the USA to change the entry procedures. Argument behind is alluring more traffic and tourists to the US and thereby stabilizing the fare revenue on the important transatlantic sectors.

Even the official reports by the CBP - with its great marketing language - have to unveil that nearly 20 percent of the travellers don't feel welcome to the US.

http://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/national...on-cbps-top-20

So every fifth traveller feels uncomfortable plus many unrecorded cases where people simply don't tell their opinion due to the fact that a government agency is asking or they are simply surprised.

I would be very worried if LH IT has such very personal data from me such as a face-scan - do you trust the LH IT department?:eek::rolleyes:

What if they use it to clone people.....:p:D

This would be a great opportunity to make long-haul wings profitable.

Instead of paying EU261 compensation for delays just present the clone at the destination.

Or even better and cheaper: A hologram of the passenger. Terms and Conditions will be changed then. Compensation is only paid if the passenger NOR his hologram can't be presented at the destination in due time. :eek: :D

Aren't we talking lounge access here? Where did the OP talk about access to the US??? :confused:

shhhhhhhhh...

Maybe LH has your face-scan already? Isn't it saved on your biometric passport?

While the benefits of using this technology at the lounge would only be the removal of the lounge entry attendants, I could see there are other opportunities that could be implemented in airports if the trial is successful.

I can't think of a situation where I gave LH my physical passport to scan.

What's the point of this? Surely this must take longer than scanning a boarding pass + swiping your card.

LH is not able to read that and also it is protected and can not be snatched by everybody that gets hold of the passport.....

So it is very certain at this point that LH IT does not have a passengers bio-metric data.....unless they participatet in the lounge-trial and gave it away to them!:rolleyes:

No this trial is about walkthrough face recognition without having to stop or slow down. Interesting concept, if the technology is sufficiently mature and reliable.

I can not believe that people actually really want to be guinea pigs for something this data sensible with LH.....
I would never allow a private company to collect this data from me!

If you (or anyone else for that matter) uploaded pictures of you to the internet, you already did...