Canadian airline WestJet
will next month begin testing technology from London-based Zamna that will
enable the airline to verify passenger data and travel documents before airport
arrival.
Zamna, a PhocusWire
Hot25 Startup of 2021, uses a digital intelligence system that works
invisibly in the background to verify a passenger’s passport data is correct
and trustworthy. From there, vaccination or visa information previously
associated with the passport is unlocked and confirmed against requirements of
the destination.
The system is intended
to give assurance to travelers, before they go to the airport, that their
travel documentation has been verified and accepted.
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The pilot program will
begin for passengers flying on routes between Calgary International Airport and
London Heathrow and between Toronto Pearson International Airport and London
Gatwick.
“Everyday airlines must process and
verify their passengers’ passports, visas and health data - and check it
against constantly shifting regulatory travel requirements, which differ from
destination to destination. WestJet - with its admirable commitment to
providing the best possible guest experience - is very much leading the way in
North America by leveraging the technology that already exists to solve such
problems,” says Irra Ariella Khi, CEO of Zamna.
“At
Zamna, we believe the very cornerstone of all international travel is the
passport - a document recognized across the globe and the standard outlined by
the International Civil Aviation Organization. This is why we anchor all traveler
data - whether it be identity and visa information, or vaccination status - to
the passport. Our technology instantly checks this data against live border and
travel requirements, meaning airlines can be ready for no matter what and
passengers can arrive at the airport armed with the confidence that they will
be able to board their flight with only one document in their hand: a passport.”
Zamna says the collaboration marks the
first example in North America of an airline using this type of invisible,
digital solution to verify traveler data against current requirements, before
airport arrival, for international flights.