China Southern Airlines became the country's first carrier to use facial recognition, with the technology put into use Wednesday at Jiangying Airport in Nanyang City, Henan Province.

 

中国南方航空公司成为国内首家采用脸部识别的承运单位，本周三河南南阳姜营机场采用这一技术。
 

 

Passengers did not have to get a boarding pass at check-in, as cameras verified their faces with their passport photos.

 

Also at the boarding gates, the system again confirmed their identity.

 

Hou Kan, a member of International Air Transport Association, said e-tickets, e-invoices and facial recognition would simplify check-in. Chinese airlines are keen to introduce new systems for the convenience of air travellers.

 

Before the smart boarding system was launched, China Southern Airlines had notified passengers to download the airlines' app and upload a head shot before going to the airport to check-in.

 

The system verifies images on the app with passengers' ID photos and their real-time images at the airport. Its takes just one second.