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(c) Elliott Publishing.

Future Airports
Cheap Charlie · July 3, 2000

In the past two columns, I have outlined some changes that may or may not be coming to airline travel in the future. Well, I'm actually betting we will see all of the changes coming into play more and more over the next couple of years. Most of what I have outlined is already in use.

This look into the future shows how quickly the present is changing. What seemed like science fiction only a year ago is now being rolled out and tested in international airports and in some domestic locations.

Let me start with the futuristic Iris Identification systems. Yes, Virginia, that is "iris" as in your "eyeball."

It seems that each person has as distinct an iris as he or she has a unique fingerprint. This form of absolutely positive identification has led to a new machine for check-in that is being tested at airports as you read these words.

Researchers have found that people don't object to peering into a scope to have their iris read. They don't look at this as invasion of privacy. In fact, many see it as a way to enhance privacy.

With the Iris Identification systems, passengers can be positively identified. It is then possible to link this identity to credit cards, flight schedules, etc. You can easily see where this is going.

For the time being passengers are being checked in and the Iris Identification is taking the place of their driver's license. The kiosks that are being used for the test at select airports also now allow the user to make reservations for hotels and rental cars - all without ever taking out their credit card or any other identification. It's all in the system.

So, if you are asked to peer into a scope one day to have your iris read, it will be the start of a new relationship with machines and may end up saving you time and money in the long run.

These Iris Identification machines may begin to work interactively with much less sophisticated scanners that are being installed at several European airports. These scanners are being deployed in normal spots scattered through the airports' check in area. However, they are also being placed in novel locations such as the parking garages, so passengers can check in for flights as they get out of their car.

The airport management is clearly thinking ahead and making check-in a bit less arduous for travelers.

Even more exciting is the development of self-baggage-check-ins. These machines allow passengers to scan their tickets, then push a button indicating how many bags they wish to check. Voila! Baggage claims are printed out that can be attached to bags. The bags can then be set on the conveyor belt and begin making their way out to the plane.

No more waiting in line at the check-in counters. Wouldn't that be nice?

Charlie Leocha is the Boston-based author of Travel Rights: Know the Rules of the Road and the Air Before You Go. Cheap Charlie appears every Monday on this site. E-mail him at charlie@ticked.com or access his Web site.