National Academies Press: OpenBook

Airport Biometrics: A Primer (2021)

Chapter: Appendix B - Case Study: Denver Daon Biometric Partnership

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Suggested Citation:"Appendix B - Case Study: Denver Daon Biometric Partnership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Airport Biometrics: A Primer. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26180.
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix B - Case Study: Denver Daon Biometric Partnership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Airport Biometrics: A Primer. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26180.
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix B - Case Study: Denver Daon Biometric Partnership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Airport Biometrics: A Primer. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26180.
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Suggested Citation:"Appendix B - Case Study: Denver Daon Biometric Partnership." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Airport Biometrics: A Primer. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26180.
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145   Case Study: Denver–Daon Biometric Partnership Summary COVID-19 has changed passengers’ needs at airports, and there is now a greater focus placed on health. Denver International Airport (DEN), as part of its goal to make the passenger journey safer and more predictable, is partnering with Daon, an innovator in biometric authentication with experience developing the TSA PreCheck program, to develop a series of pilots at the airport. The technology solutions are based on Daon’s Glide HealthPass platform, which is a digital health passport that allows businesses to build an authorization process to meet their unique and evolving needs (Daon 2020). The first pilot is the VeriFLY reservation system, which is inspired by a self-identified population of health-conscious travelers who want to maximize social distancing while using touchless technologies (DEN Talks 2020). Using a reservation system similar to OpenTable, travelers make a reservation for access to a dedicated VeriFLY security lane; access to the security lane is via an e-gate. Once through screening, travelers would have access to a reserved, lower-capacity train car on the automated guideway transit system (AGTS) to access the concourses. VeriFLY is free to passengers, but they must download an app and register with some basic personal information and a photograph, which is stored by Daon. Benefits of the program include building confidence and certainty throughout the passenger journey, flattening the arrival peaks with the reservation system, promoting a touchless and document-free travel experience by incorporating biometrics, and reducing exposure for TSA officers. A second pilot applies the same technology to a remote screening facility to allow the families of employees to proceed through security outside the terminal area. See Table B-1 for more information on the Denver–Daon partnership. Introduction To address passenger health and safety, DEN has partnered with public health stakeholders and biometric technology firm Daon to develop a biometric authentication system known as VeriFLY, which is aimed at making passenger journeys safer and more predictable. A second pilot for remote screening takes the security checkpoint off of airport premises. How Does It Work? Before the Passenger Journey VeriFLY is free to passengers, but they must download an app and register with some basic personal information (non-PII) and a photograph. Daon’s IdentityX is a digital identity platform that delivers seamless identity establishment and verification, multi-factor authentication, and recovery. The technology solutions are based on Daon’s Glide HealthPass platform, which is A P P E N D I X B

146 Airport Biometrics: A Primer a digital health passport that allows businesses to build an authorization process to meet their unique and evolving needs. The database is housed and accessed entirely by Daon. The Passenger Journey Within 2 weeks prior to travel, the passenger uses the app to create a reservation for a check- point timeslot (FlyDenver 2020). On the day of travel, passengers self-certify their health status and receive a QR code to access the e-gate. The QR code verifies identity and reservation time, and a scanner verifies body temperature before access is granted. Retention and Storage Daon stores the facial biometric and personal information in its system, but customers can purge their information when they want to leave the program. The airport does not store any of the personal information. System Architecture Flow Diagram The flow diagram of this case study can be found in the Denver–Daon Biometric Partnership case study of Chapter 2. What? ● Biometric authentication system for security lane reservations and off- airport premises security screening Where? ● DEN Customer process steps ● Mobile app sign-up to enroll and make a reservation for the security checkpoint ● On day of travel, passenger self-certifies health status in app and receives QR code ● Arrive at airport for designated slot, verify body temperature, and use QR code to access dedicated security checkpoint lane Who? ● Daon ● DEN ● Passengers ● TSA Why? ● Speed up passenger processing of passengers ● Relieve pressure on security checkpoints How? Technology used? ● VeriFLY: facial recognition to verify identity in the app to bring up a QR code for airport touchpoints ● Remote screening: bring security checkpoint off of airport premises Enrollment/digital identity creation and verification ● Voluntary program with enrollment completed on the app. Appointments on the app can be booked 2 weeks in advance. Verification of identity how? ● Initial rollout using QR code, with future rollout of facial recognition via the mobile app For? ● Health-conscious departing travelers who want to maximize social distancing and use of touchless technology while being able to get through checkpoint at a known time and access the concourse on a dedicated AGTS car ● Remote screening for those passengers without bags traveling with airport employees Table B-1. Key facts of case study on Denver–Daon partnership.

Case Study: Denver–Daon Biometric Partnership 147   Stakeholders and Responsibilities The primary stakeholder is Daon, which is responsible for the software solution and storage of biometrics. It is also funding the current VeriFLY pilot. DEN is another main stakeholder. It is responsible for advertising, staffing, and ensuring that the terminal layout and AGTS platform can accommodate the program (McLaughlin 2020). Passengers are the third main stakeholder since passenger participation is required to make the program successful. An indirect stakeholder is TSA since the VeriFLY program involves use of a dedicated security checkpoint lane. Early involvement was required to confirm that a dedicated lane and screening staff would be provided for the trial. Future coordination with TSA will be required to adapt the program to changes such as the use of biometric credential authentication technology, which will remove the role of the travel document checker. Future stakeholders are expected to include airlines and medical labs as the program is expanded to provide additional functionality. Case Study Review Benefits Benefits of the VeriFLY passenger screening program include building confidence and certainty throughout the passenger journey, flattening the arrival peaks in the reservation system, promoting a touchless and document-free travel experience by incorporating bio- metrics, and reducing exposure for TSA officers. Benefits of the remote screening pilot include relieving pressure on the terminal checkpoints and being able to provide an enhanced, touchless experience. There is also a financial benefit of deferring construction of capacity-driven projects. Responses from Customers The initial response from customers has been overwhelmingly positive. More than 90% of users said they were likely to use it again and would recommend it to friends. New passenger profiles are being created every day, which is a sign that VeriFLY is gaining in popularity (Merrit 2021). System Specifications Review There has not been a system specification review by a third party because this deployment is still in the early stages. Fall-Back Options VeriFLY is a voluntary program, so passengers do not have to participate. Regular security access in the terminal is still provided. Concerns The program is still in its early phases, so one of the operational concerns is whether there will be enough passenger demand to warrant a dedicated security screening lane and AGTS train car for passengers who participate in the program. The capacity reduction from the general population would need to be sufficiently offset by passengers using VeriFLY. Other concerns

148 Airport Biometrics: A Primer include appointment blocking or other attempts by participants to create a more private experience by reserving multiple timeslots. Lessons Learned In the early days of the VeriFLY program, there was a perception that there was an unintended consequence of packing more people into fewer train cars because some VeriFLY-dedicated train cars were going out empty. Through increased messaging and an increase in program popu- larity through the busy holiday period, this misconception was quickly corrected. Additionally, some passengers, on seeing the success of VeriFLY, tried to download the app and join the process midstream. This meant that their temperatures were not checked at the start of the process. Findings and Trends Findings The VeriFLY program has grown at a steady pace since initial implementation and has become a program that state and local health departments have encouraged. Since the airport has been able to prove the concept, VeriFLY will expand to a remote screening facility to allow badged employees and their co-travelers to all clear security protocols based on their specific risk factors. Future Situation and Broader Implementation With the initial implementation success, future phases will include incorporation of the facial biometric and ability to access third-party health information to further automate the process. At higher levels on the ladder of confidence, the facial biometric can also eventually be tied into TSA biometric credential authentication technology to eliminate the traditional role of the travel document checker. This would create a document-free travel experience through the checkpoint. Trends Identified The Daon VeriFLY program aligns with the trend of deployment of integrated and multi- stakeholder biometric solutions. While VeriFLY currently provides access only to a security checkpoint lane and the AGTS train, the system is designed to be expandable to other areas of the airport. This could include areas such as concessions and ground transportation. Since VeriFLY is in early deployment, the additional functionality layers can be added as more people enroll and as the process at security is further refined and improved.

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Biometrics is one of the most powerful, but misunderstood technologies used at airports today. The ability to increase the speed of individual processes, as well as offer a touch-free experience throughout an entire journey is a revolution that is decades in the making.

The TRB Airport Cooperative Research Program's ACRP Research Report 233: Airport Biometrics: A Primer is designed to help aviation stakeholders, especially airport operators, to understand the range of issues and choices available when considering, and deciding on, a scalable and effective set of solutions using biometrics. These solutions may serve as a platform to accommodate growth as well as addressing the near-term focus regarding safe operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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