TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Songshan Airport (松山機場) launched its "One ID" smart travel service on Tuesday (April 14), allowing passengers to use facial recognition for check-in, baggage drop, security clearance and boarding. The system can reduce processing time by up to 30% and manpower needs by 20% during peak periods, officials said. Songshan is the first airport in Taiwan to implement the biometric system.
Cheng Chien-hung (鄭堅中), director of the Civil Aviation Administration's Taipei International Airport Office (民航局台北國際航空站), said the airport installed 48 smart devices for the rollout. These include 18 self-check-in kiosks, 12 self-baggage drop machines, six e-gates and 12 boarding gates. Songshan handles about 2.8 million international passengers annually, and the system targets congestion during peak travel periods.
The facial recognition technology has a 95% success rate, allowing passengers to pass through checkpoints without presenting boarding passes or passports. Cheng said passenger data will only be used for flight procedures and will be automatically deleted within 24 hours of departure. The system adheres to government cybersecurity standards, he added.
Songshan serves as Taiwan's pilot site for smart travel, and officials will evaluate the system for potential expansion to other international airports. A service quality survey by the Taipei station found that over 85% of travelers anticipate self-service and biometric clearance options. The International Civil Aviation Organization has promoted biometric systems as part of global aviation modernization efforts.