b'40 PHL SECURITYPhiladelphia Intl Installs Biometric Facial Recognition at 25 Gates BY KRISTIN V. SHAWWhile biometrics initiatives had alreadythe technology would work on site. emerged in the 1990s, the COVID-19While the global health crisis triggered a pandemic spurred more passengerspause for many airport projects early in 2020, to want additional low-touch and touch-freethe PHL team took advantage of the time to options. Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)complete more research. With input from Faith took this to heart and commissioned facialGroup, a St. Louis-based consulting firm that recognition technology at 25 boarding gates. Ithas provided numerous technical and security all started just before the COVID crisis began,services to PHL over the past decade, a kicking off a comprehensive test run of threerequest for proposal document was created by FACTS&FIGURESdifferent systems.May 2020. Project: Biometric Facial Recognition System It has been nearly three decades since thePHL Chief Information Officer Allen Mehta Location: Philadelphia Intl AirportIllegal Immigration Reform and Immigrantfound working with the outside consulting firm Key Components/Technology: Self- Responsibility Act of 1996 mandated theto be especially beneficial because he joined service FacePod kiosksdevelopment of an automated entry-exitthe airports management team in September Project Scope: 50 self-service kiosks at 25system that would collect records of arrivals2019 with a wealth of technology experience gates in Terminal A East & Westand departures of foreign nationals at U.S.but no aviation industry experience.Cost: $4 millionairports. The terrorist attacks of September 2001 spurred a concentration on biometricHaving a subject matter expert to guide Timeline: Pilot program kicked off in 2019;technology and a stronger connection tous through the steps really made a difference request for proposals written in 2020 &certain law enforcement databases. Sinceand helped us think through unique solutions, released in 2021; contract awarded Oct. 2022;then, the U.S. Customs and Border Protectionsays Mehta. Your brain could pop if you had installation began in Jan. 2023 to look at every single thing. Faith Group has Biometrics Software: SITA/NEC (CBP) says it has processed more than 200 million travelers using biometric facialbeen very helpful in that perspective. Facial Recognition System: I:Delight,comparison technology. PHL is adding to thatAfter a full year navigating delays and from NEC number with its 25 gates in terminals A-Eastwading through vendor feedback from the Self-Service Kiosks: FacePod, from NEC and A-West and is ramping up for even more. pilot programs, the airport released its request Design Consultant: Faith Group for proposals. Mehta notes that technologies Project Manager/ConstructionBake-Off Style Trialhave already improved since the project team Manager: Arora Engineers LLC Starting in December 2019, PHL launchedfirst evaluated options in the initial pilots. In Key Goals/Benefits: Meeting CBP45-day pilot projects with three providers particular, the quality of captured images and mandates; improving passenger boarding time VeriScan, NEC,and SITAto get a feel for howthe match ratios were not as strong as they March | April 2023AirportImprovement.com'