Amadeus and Lufthansa tested some successful travel scenarios for the EU Digital Identity Wallet this summer, which will simplify travellers’ journeys with check in, bag drop, boarding and enrolling for biometric security procedures with one tap.
Mirroring big wallets transforming the payment experience, now digital and ID credentials for travel can be securely housed in the EU digital wallet. This “one-click experience” for all travel needs is being tested in a series of pilots.
Amadeus Travel Ready helps airlines like Lufthansa, who took part in a trial, accept the EU Digital Identity Wallet to simplify the travel experience for passengers. As partners of the EU Digital Identity Wallet Consortium Large Scale pilot project, Amadeus and Lufthansa tested the wallet for online check-in and in-person travel experiences.
Upcoming trials later in the year will test airport security and border control use cases, including biometric enrollment, and enabling passengers to tap their mobile phones at eGates or online touchpoint, opting in to securely share their biometric data. The option removes the need for them to take a selfie or scan documents to use biometrics at the airport.
The wallet can also be used to securely pay for services online and at key airport touchpoints by accessing a stored payment card.
The widespread coverage of EU digital ID wallets by 2026 has shifted paper-based travel into a digital era, which has led to Amadeus enhancing its Travel Ready solution in anticipation of the wallets.
Travel Ready provides the “infrastructure that enables third-party wallets like the EUDI Wallet to operate with the travel industry”. Amadeus will continue to advance compatibility and interoperability with all future wallets supporting digital identity, and prioritise privacy and security by design. Key data resides on the user’s own device rather than third party services.
Falk Durm, Senior Director Ground Experience Product & Design, at Lufthansa said: “Air travel is about to get a lot easier for Europeans. By removing frustrating and repetitive document scans, EUDI Wallets fully digitalize identity verification, resulting in faster, smoother and more enjoyable travel.”
Rudy Daniello, Executive Vice President, AirOps, Amadeus, added: “Digital identity is the missing piece of the jigsaw for truly seamless travel. With facial recognition technology being installed at airports, the border, cruise terminals, and even hotels, it won’t be long before travelers can breeze through every step in their journey without the need to present a passport or other documents.
At Amadeus, we’re focused on transforming the experience of travel across the entire journey, and enabling interoperability of digital wallets across the ecosystem is a key step towards this.”
