Angkasa Pura

First in Indonesia! Banyuwangi Airport Use Sophisticated Facial Recognition Technology for Passengers Checking in and Boarding to the Airplane

Jakarta - PT Angkasa Pura II (Persero) as The Leading Indonesia Airport Company is increasingly expanding the implementation of digitalization at the airport.

In mid-March 2020 PT Angkasa Pura II began using facial recognition technology (biometric facial recognition) for the process of checking in and boarding to the aircraft at Banyuwangi International Airport.

The Banyuwangi International Airport is the first airport in Indonesia to use this biometric facial recognition for passenger flow automation.

PT Angkasa Pura II President Director Muhammad Awaluddin said this technology was used for all flights in Banyuwangi.

"After becoming the first airport in the country with the concept of Eco-green Airport, Banyuwangi Airport is now also the first in Indonesia to apply biometric facial recognition technology to better ensure flight safety."

The concept of Eco-green Airport itself can be seen from the minimal use of air conditioning (AC) by utilizing air circulation through the grating on the passenger terminal wall, as well as the spread of green grass on the roof of the terminal.

"The combination of the concept of Eco-green and Smart Airport in Banyuwangi greatly enhances the customer experience and creates a hassle free or hassle free at the airport. We have chosen Banyuwangi as a pilot project from biometric facial recognition technology as passenger flow automation, before it will be implemented at other airports under the management of PT Angkasa Pura II, "said Muhammad Awaluddin.

Muhammad Awaluddin explained that currently the Banyuwangi International Airport provides two alternatives for the check-in process.

The first alternative is through a check-in counter where passengers who want to put luggage in the baggage of the aircraft must choose this option. The luggage is also registered independently by the passenger and then put into the baggage handling system.

Meanwhile the Second Alternative is to use a self check-in engine that can be selected for airplane passengers with enough luggage in the aircraft cabin.

In both alternatives, when processing at the check in counter and self check in, each passenger records their face using the available biometric facial recognition tool.

After the whole check-in process is finished, the passenger of the plane then goes to the boarding lounge to wait for departure.

When boarding or boarding time arrives, passengers then head to autogate to tap the boarding pass and then undergo verification through a biometric facial recognition process.

If the boarding pass and face match the data, the autogate will open and passengers are welcome to board the plane.

"Through biometric facial recognition, the current boarding process uses autogate without the need for personnel on duty, so that those personnel can work in other areas," Muhammad Awaluddin said.

Banyuwangi International Airport itself is prepared as a pilot project as an airport with the latest global trends, where airplane passengers or tourists prefer to process departures independently through self check in, mobile apps, self baggage drop, and so forth.

The airport, which was prepared to support tourism growth in East Java, is managed by PT Angkasa Pura II starting in 2017, and since then development has continued to be carried out such as the implementation of digitalization and development of the air side including runways, runway overlay and apron expansion.

The runway development has just finished from the previous dimension of 2,250 x 30 meters to now 2,500 x 45 meters so that the airport can accommodate more types of aircraft to operate in Banyuwangi.

Meanwhile, the apron was expanded to provide up to 9 aircraft parking stands from the previous 3 parking stands.

At present the airlines operating flights to and from Banyuwangi are Garuda Indonesia, Citilink, Wings Air and Batik Air. In the near future it is planned that Lion Air will open flights from Jakarta - Banyuwangi and vice versa.