Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport has taken a decisive step toward friction-less travel by unveiling a pilot that lets passengers complete every stage—from baggage check-in to boarding—using facial recognition alone. Announced on 28 October, the scheme is a joint project between AENA, Vueling and a consortium of tech providers (Easier, IDEMIA, Indra, Materna IPS and Spanish start-up Mobbeel).
Travellers on select Vueling domestic routes can enrol via a mobile app or dedicated kiosk, capturing a selfie, passport image and live liveness check. Once verified, passengers drop their own bags at biometric kiosks, pass automatically through security e-gates and board via facial scanners at the gate—all without presenting documents or boarding passes.
For business travellers, the time saving is significant: AENA estimates average journey-time reductions of 30–40 per cent. The pilot also integrates Spain’s GDPR-compliant biometric consent management, allowing users to revoke data at any time.
If results mirror earlier limited pilots at Madrid-Barajas, the system will be rolled out on international routes—critical ahead of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) launch in 2026 that will require biometric capture for all third-country nationals. Corporates should brief employees on enrolment prerequisites and ensure passports have NFC chips for quicker verification.
From a mobility-policy perspective, Spain positions itself as a test-bed for seamless travel technology, which could influence Schengen-wide standards. However, unions representing ground handlers warn that self-service bag drops may accelerate workforce restructuring; social-dialogue talks are scheduled for November.
Travellers on select Vueling domestic routes can enrol via a mobile app or dedicated kiosk, capturing a selfie, passport image and live liveness check. Once verified, passengers drop their own bags at biometric kiosks, pass automatically through security e-gates and board via facial scanners at the gate—all without presenting documents or boarding passes.
For business travellers, the time saving is significant: AENA estimates average journey-time reductions of 30–40 per cent. The pilot also integrates Spain’s GDPR-compliant biometric consent management, allowing users to revoke data at any time.
If results mirror earlier limited pilots at Madrid-Barajas, the system will be rolled out on international routes—critical ahead of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) launch in 2026 that will require biometric capture for all third-country nationals. Corporates should brief employees on enrolment prerequisites and ensure passports have NFC chips for quicker verification.
From a mobility-policy perspective, Spain positions itself as a test-bed for seamless travel technology, which could influence Schengen-wide standards. However, unions representing ground handlers warn that self-service bag drops may accelerate workforce restructuring; social-dialogue talks are scheduled for November.
