Press release

Use contactless services with BER Biometrics

Additional service for passengers at BER Airport

Flughafengesellschaft Berlin Brandenburg is offering its passengers at BER an additional digital service since 1 July 2024: BER Biometrics means all travellers can now use various stations when departing from Terminal 1 via facial recognition and, therefore, contactless without showing their boarding pass. This includes printing baggage labels at selected self-service machines, use of the BER Runway with an extended time slot and access to the BER Tegel Lounge after prior booking. This follows a two-week test phase with a selected group of people.

Registration via the SmartDepart app from a partner company and a selfie are required to use BER Biometrics. The service can be booked from seven days before departure. A live image of the passenger is then taken on-site in the terminal at explicitly and clearly designated stations. The SmartDepart app is used to match the files from the app against the files from the images taken in the terminal and the corresponding service is activated.

Interested passengers can use BER Biometrics at two signposted self-service kiosks on the departures level, at the entrance to a control lane for the BER runway and at a column in front of the Tegel lounge. The app provider shall delete the matching data after the flight. The stored passenger data remains in the app, which the user can manage independently at any time.

BER Biometrics is a voluntary and free service for passengers aged 16 and over. It replaces presentation of the boarding pass, but not the carrying of official travel documents, including the boarding pass. As before, all services at BER Airport can still be used without BER Biometrics. To realise the technical aspects of the project, including software solutions, the airport company worked with its partner company, AirSphere, and is already using its boarding pass control software at BER.

Thomas Hoff Andersson, Managing Director Operations at Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH: “BER Biometrics is a free service for interested passengers and is entirely voluntary. The digital service enables them to plan and organise their stay at the airport more effectively. Thanks to contactless access to various process locations, users can reach their departure gate more conveniently and quickly. For the airport company, BER Biometrics is another building block towards a smart airport of the future.”

Frank Pfleiderer, Managing Director of AirSphere GmbH: “AirSphere and Berlin Brandenburg Airport have been working together successfully for many years in the automation of passenger handling processes. We are delighted to have BER as the first customer for our new SmartDepart app and offer passengers at BER a new travel experience. We shall continue to expand the range of services in the app and will soon be offering corresponding services via the app at other airports.”

For more information about BER Biometrics: biometrics.berlin-airport.de

How can BER Biometrics be used? 

BER Biometrics can only be booked via the SmartDepart app from the provider Airsphere. For more information, including a link to download the app, visit

biometrics.berlin-airport.de

Passengers download the app onto their smartphone and create a profile with their name, an e-mail address and a selfie. They also need to check in and upload their boarding pass before using the app. They can then select the appropriate product for the day of departure in the app.

What products are available?

• Self-service baggage check-in and printing the baggage label for independent baggage check-in
  
• Using the BER Runway: passengers automatically receive a slot for the BER Runway when booking via BER Biometrics. This slot is valid from two hours before the selected time slot.
• Access to the BER Lounge Tegel after prior booking for a fee

How is BER Biometrics used on-site in the terminal?

Facial recognition for BER Biometrics is only used in the terminal at explicitly signposted and clearly designated stations that have been set up for BER Biometrics users only. At the self-service machines specifically signposted with BER Biometrics, at the entrance to the BER Runway and in front of the Tegel lounge, the photo in the app on the smartphone is then matched against a photo taken on-site.

No original image files but only digitally created reference files are matched against each other to identify the boarding pass holder / app user and the passenger on-site.

If the images match, the airport receives the boarding pass information and grants the requested access. The boarding pass no longer needs to be presented.

Do passengers still need to carry a boarding pass?

Travellers must carry their printed or digital boarding pass with them at the airport at all times. It must be presented at the gate before boarding the aircraft. It also serves as proof in the event of any technical faults.

Can BER Biometrics be used for several people?

No, each passenger must create their own profile with BER Biometrics and can only navigate the process independently. You may not take accompanying persons with you.

Can BER Biometrics be used for all departures?  

Access to the BER runway and the Tegel lounge can be used with BER Biometrics at all times. Fast Bag Drop (printing baggage labels and handing them in independently) is not yet offered by all airlines at BER Airport.

What are the data used for?

BER Biometrics uses the image taken in the terminal to review access authorisation. To that end, a digitally encrypted reference file is sent to the provider AirSphere and matched against the encrypted reference files available in the database at short notice. If they match, Airsphere forwards the required boarding pass information to the respective locations and access is granted.

How are the data protected? 

When using the app, passengers have control at all times over the data they make available. Users can delete the data completely from the app at any time. All information in the app is stored in the local protected app memory and is not used without the user’s consent.

The reference data of the selfie and the boarding pass are only forwarded in encrypted form and are deleted after landing at the latest when used for a flight.