Geneva – ACI EUROPE, Amadeus, IATA, IDEMIA Public Security and SITA today announced the formation of the Responsible Biometrics Travel Industry Coalition, calling on EU policymakers to ensure the Digital Omnibus actively supports the voluntary and secure use of biometrics in travel while protecting passenger choice and privacy.
The coalition is seeking a balanced regulatory approach that enables a more efficient and convenient experience for air travelers and maintains strong safeguards around the responsible use of biometric technologies.
The Digital Omnibus is intended to simplify Europe’s digital rulebook, support innovation and strengthen competitiveness. It also preserves high standards of data protection and cybersecurity. Yet the legislative proposal could place unintended restrictions on the voluntary use of biometrics by passengers across Europe.
The coalition is urging policymakers to ensure the Digital Omnibus preserves passenger choice and allows citizens to benefit from the opportunities that biometrics can offer.
Why Biometrics Matter
Biometrics make travel more seamless for passengers and deliver significant operational benefits for airports and airlines. By reducing repeated manual document checks, biometric verification increases throughput, improves passenger flows and helps airports use existing terminal infrastructure more efficiently. It also helps airports better manage peak periods and traffic growth, allowing staff to focus on passengers who need assistance or additional attention.
Combined, these benefits boost Europe’s competitiveness by promoting efficient, well-connected airports and innovation across the travel and technology sectors. A clear regulatory framework can encourage continued investment and enable European technology companies to innovate and scale trusted solutions in their home market.
To unlock the full potential of biometrics in European air travel, the coalition calls for the Digital Omnibus to adopt technology-neutral rules that allow the voluntary use of biometric data (where appropriate safeguards are in place) and offer passengers non-biometric alternatives.
Protecting Privacy and Passenger Choice
The coalition firmly believes the benefits of biometrics should go hand in hand with strong protections for passenger privacy and passengers’ ability to choose whether to share or request to delete their data at any time. The use of biometric solutions should be voluntary, secure and limited to a defined journey.
Research cited by the coalition found that 74% of travelers surveyed were willing to share biometric data in place of showing a passport or boarding pass, according to IATA’s Global Passenger Survey.
Manifesto
“EU policymakers have the opportunity to put Europe in the global lead on biometric regulation. The benefits of the latest technologies are clear: they can protect passenger data privacy and open a more seamless and efficient travel process. This will enhance the region’s overall competitiveness. At the same time, biometric journeys should always be based on passenger choice and voluntary participation.
Today we are publishing a manifesto that cements industry commitments to responsible use of biometrics and sets out a regulatory call for action to adopt rules that facilitate a secure and seamless future for more than a billion European air travelers each year,” the Coalition said.
The Coalition includes senior representatives from each member organization: Olivier Jankovec, Director General, ACI EUROPE; Fernando Cuesta, Senior Vice President, Industry Affairs Global Development, Amadeus; Thomas Reynaert, Senior Vice President, External Affairs, IATA; Lisa Shoemaker, Senior Vice President, Corporate Relations, IDEMIA Public Security; Pedro Alves, Senior Vice President, Borders, SITA.
The ‘Advancing Responsible Biometrics in Europe’ Manifesto (pdf) outlines a balanced, evidence-based approach to biometric technologies with the aim of:
- Supporting public-private dialog on biometrics to help Europe respond to growing passenger volumes and limited airport capacity, while strengthening the competitiveness of its transport and tourism sectors.[1]
- Promoting greater legal clarity around the use of biometric data to facilitate the responsible deployment of technologies that can bring tangible benefits to travelers.
The coalition brings together expertise from across the travel ecosystem to provide practical insights and engage with policymakers and regulators. Coalition members believe that continued collaboration between industry and public authorities will be essential to maintaining Europe’s high standards of privacy and fundamental rights while enabling future innovation in travel.
> Read the Manifesto (pdf)
[1] ICAO forecasts that global air passenger traffic will reach 12.4 billion passengers annually by 2050, nearly three times 2024 levels. Digital identity and biometric technologies can help airports process growing passenger volumes more efficiently, make better use of existing infrastructure and support a secure, seamless passenger experience.
About ACI EUROPE
ACI EUROPE is the European region of Airports Council International, the only global trade association for airports. We represent over 600 airports in 55 countries. Our members facilitate over 95% of commercial air traffic in Europe. Air transport supports 14 million jobs, generating €851 billion in European economic activity (5% of GDP). In response to the Climate Emergency, in June 2019 our members committed to achieving Net Zero carbon emissions for operations under their control by 2050, without offsetting. Based in Brussels, we lead and serve the European airport industry and maintain strong links with other ACI regions throughout the world.
About Amadeus
Amadeus makes the experience of travel better for everyone, everywhere by inspiring innovation, partnerships and responsibility to people, places and planet.
As the system of record in travel, its technology powers the travel and tourism industry, enabling airlines, airports, hotels, travel sellers and partners to operate at global scale. Built on decades of industry expertise, its open platform connects hundreds of systems and workflows across the end-to-end journey, helping the industry respond to evolving traveler expectations and transforming how travel works.
Amadeus is an IBEX 35 company, listed on the Spanish Stock Exchange under AMS.MC, and has been recognized by the Dow Jones Best-in-Class World Index for 14 consecutive years.
Amadeus. It’s how travel works better.
About IATA
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is the trade association for the world’s airlines, representing over 370 airlines accounting for some 85% of global air traffic. We support many areas of aviation activity and help formulate industry policy on critical aviation issues.
IATA’s mission is to represent, lead, and serve the airline industry.
About IDEMIA Group
IDEMIA Group is a global technology leader with more than 12,500 employees worldwide. Its two market-leading divisions deliver mission-critical solutions that simplify and secure interactions in the physical and digital realms:
- IDEMIA Secure Transactions (IST) is the leading technology provider making it safer and easier to pay and connect. With unmatched expertise in cryptography and credential issuance, IST is trusted by over 2000 financial institutions, mobile operators, automotive manufacturers, and IoT providers worldwide. Every day, IST secures billions of essential transactions, ensuring the highest levels of data protection and convenience.
- IDEMIA Public Security (IPS) is a trusted provider of government-grade and secure biometric-based solutions for 600 government, state and federal agencies. With decades of experience in biometric technologies, IPS enables safer, frictionless and fairer ways to secure travel, access and citizen protection.
About SITA
SITA is the air transport industry’s tech engine, making travel safer, easier, and more sustainable for everyone. From the earliest days of commercial aviation to today’s digital frontiers, SITA has been there, connecting the industry and helping it evolve through every leap forward.
With around 2,500 customers, SITA technology supports over 1,000 airports and more than 19,600 aircraft worldwide. It also helps over 70 governments strike the balance between secure borders and seamless journeys. Behind the scenes, SITA bridges 45–50% of the industry’s data exchange, enabling a highly complex global network to operate smoothly and reliably, every step of the way.
Owned by the industry and driven by its needs, SITA operates in more than 200 countries and territories.
