TRAVELLERS have been warned of a MAJOR change as boarding passes and check-ins are to be axed.
New airport rules could see passengers able to access their passports through their phones and flow through terminals freely through face recognition.
It's thought the tech could be operational within the next couple of years, as reported by The Times.
It comes as the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is working towards a “digital travel credential”.
This would see check ins scrapped and flyers relying on a “journey pass” on their mobile device.
Bag drops will notify airlines when a passenger arrives, while those carrying hand luggage would be registered at security.
At present, ticket holders check in when the arrive at the airport, with their boarding pass.
Then they navigate security before waiting for their gate number.
But with new systems in the works from Amadeus – the world's largest travel tech company – everything could change.
Valérie Viale, director of product management told The Times: “These changes are the biggest in 50 years.
“Many airline systems haven’t changed for more than 50 years because everything has to be consistent across the industry and interoperable.
“The last upgrade of great scale was the adoption of e-ticketing in the early 2000s. The industry has now decided it’s time to upgrade to modern systems that are more like what Amazon would use.”;
To see the new tech function, airports will need to install face recognition equipment, and scanners that can detect passports from a phone.
These gadgets will also need to be monitored so that data is not stored.
But Amadeus says travellers' information would be wiped within 15 seconds.
According to Viale, the systems used by Amazon that allow shoppers to track their parcel and open lockers via Bluetooth, is similar to what the aviation industry want to achieve.
There are also plans to see flyers share their location with an airline to receive directions to their departure gate.
British Airways, Air France-KLM, Finnair and Saudia Airlines are understood to be interested in the technology.
It comes as Airports across the UK installed next-generation CT scanners last year.
Holidaymakers travelling through the selected airports were glad to wave goodbye to the
New CT scanners were set to allow people to travel with 2litres of liquids because the high-tech machines create a 3D image of what is inside passengers' bags.
The advanced was welcomed by weary travellers tired of squeezing every essential into tiny bottles.
But, those making their way through security at Leeds Bradford, London City, Aberdeen, Southend, and Teesside airports have been urged to pack light once again.
And, London Gatwick, London Stansted, East Midlands andhave now confirmed scanners will not be functional until later this year.
The scanners were also aimed to reduce queues by allowing passengers to keep their laptops and liquids loose in their hand luggage while going through security.
Meanwhile, last year the Home Office announced plans to upgrade e-gates at the UK border for arriving passengers.
The new e-gates would get rid of the need for passengers to show their passport.
