The objective of this paper is to provide an analysis of the potential reuse of eIDAS-based eID in the aviation sector. This report has been produced in the context of the eID Value Proposition project.
Every day, airlines collect identity information on thousands of passengers to guarantee the safety of air travel, and collaborate with border control and law enforcement authorities. In many cases, identity information still relies on manual data entry by passengers and visual verification by airline staff at the airport. Airlines are in the process of fully digitalizing the passengers’ flight experience from booking to boarding. Electronic identification solutions (eIDs) based on higher level of assurance could improve the quality of the data collected, decrease the risk of errors and fraud, and provide a smoother travel journey for users.
The eIDAS regulation no.910/20141 provides a predictable regulatory environment to enable secure and seamless electronic interactions between businesses, citizens and public authorities. It introduces the concept of mutual recognition of national eID schemes in Europe, allowing users to prove their identity online in a simple and secure way.
In order to better understand the opportunities and challenges of airlines with regard to passenger identification, five interviews with sectoral trade associations and airlines have been conducted between January and May 2018. The analysis has been complemented by desk research.
Final report about the use of CEF eID in the aviation sector, by CEF eID SMO