TA

I've noticed that in many overseas airports, just being admitted to the security screening area requires going through automated BP-scanning gates, which I surmise are designed to check if your boarding pass is valid (live) and somehow transmit/query that information to/from the airline (?). And once you're in that area, you're "counted" for some informational purpose and it's not common to leave the boarding area. Then, identity is actually checked at the gate by the gate staff on boarding.

This seems to be very different from the US system where (I believe) the boarding pass serves only as a verification that your boarding pass was valid at some point (no information about whether it has been cancelled, live query to systems, etc) and that your name matches the ticket. And there is almost no attempt to otherwise control or know who is in the airside boarding areas. I know that this also has to do with the way our airports are set up; no transit-only areas, etc.

My question is, in those other airports, is this BP scan information being used somehow? Do the gate agents know if someone has passed the security check? Those security check BP-scan barriers must cost quite a bit to develop and install -- I imagine something is being done with that info.

scottishpoet

I canmot speak for every airport in europe, but at lhr t5 for sure information on when you entered airside departures is available to the gate staff.

Whem closing up a flight they can use this info to decide if they might keep it open a few minutes lonher for you. Also if you are late for your flight you do not get through to airside.

Also, in t5 this is sometimes a 2nd optional scan just before the security screeninh machine. This is used to give information how long people are spending in the queue for security

StuckInYYZ

Boarding pass can tell people a number of things depending on where it's scanned...

Security to air-side
- That you have a valid boarding pass
- That you are exiting the country (or airports that have pre-clearance that you are pre-cleared to enter the US)
- That you have passed security
- What flight you are on and your next destination

Duty-Free (some duty-free stores ask for and scan the boarding pass)
- Name and flight and destination (in the way-before time, at some airports, they would deliver your duty free purchase to your gate instead of letting you take it with you)
- Links to DB to track purchases (statistics, anything more specific could get them in trouble)

redvelvetmartinis

I've always assumed this was more to do with the immigration borders rather than just mere security - they control who's airside because there's access to international flights that the authorities need to control.

Davvidd

In a lot of countries it is to check who have passed the security screening and is inside the airside. The airline gate staff do not have the access to see if the passenger has passed the security screening or immigration or not? They can obviously ask and normally get them if asked. Ideally it should with one authority doing it but the territorial sovereignty of various departments in many countries make it difficult to do so.

lhrsfo

Generally no ID is shown when entering security so you could easily use someone else’s boarding pass but then you need ID to board the plane, preventing a swap airside. Speaking for the UK, there are no exit checks by Border Force.

invisible

Yes. In Singapore, for example, if you pass security with BP and don't board plane, you are risking put into jail. There were number of cases.

AlwaysFlyStar

I don't think most airports do a live query. I have, on more than one occasion, changed my seat or had seat changed when I was checking in, but still able to use the previous mobile boarding pass to get through the security. I know LHR T5 is infamous for actually doing something, but I think at most airports, they are just there because they are cheaper than having people stand there verifying.
Also, not all airlines actually check identity documents. I frequently fly within Schengen and some airlines/airports have a policy of checking ID and some do not. The only time airlines seem to consistently check ID, in my experience, is when checking a bag.
But yeah, I am sure many airports use the data somehow, but not sure how common it is and I really just think it is usually just automation rather than attempting to collect data. I think US just has stronger preference for humans in those roles that are related to security, as they seem unable to automate those kinds of jobs, as even US citizens who have been vetted with Global Entry have to go to an actual person when they enter the country.