Air Canada (AC) is deploying controversial facial recognition technology in order to advance the boarding process of its aircraft.
Beginning this December, people who board domestic Air Canada flights will be able to walk onto the plane without presenting any identification, such as a passport or driver’s license. Instead, passengers can upload a photograph of their face or a scan of their passport to the airline’s app and then pass by the airline’s new facial recognition scanner en route to their plane.
Launched as a pilot project in 2023, the facial recognition technology is already available at Air Canada’s first-class lounges in Toronto, Calgary, and San Francisco. Now, the airline plans to rollout the technology at Canadian airports.
Facial recognition technology is already used by several U.S. airlines, at airports around the world, and by government security agencies. However, the technology has proven controversial, with critics saying it violates people’s privacy and is an example of the growing incursion of surveillance in our lives.
For airlines, using facial recognition technology to board people eliminates the need to place paid staff at the gate to check boarding passes and people’s identification. Air Canada says that the personal information in people’s digital profiles is used for identification purposes only. The airline adds that the technology has no links to government agencies.
The stock of Air Canada has gained 33% this year.
The stock of Air Canada has a consensus Strong Buy rating among 12 Wall Street analysts. That rating is based on 10 Buy, two Hold, and no Sell recommendations assigned in the past three months. The average AC price target of $26.85 implies 8% upside from current levels.
