Flights Direct

UK airports will start a trial of using face scans to identify people this summer. Instead of passport officers checking the passport, people’s faces will be scanned and data compared to the data chip in biometric passports.

Border security feel that facial recognition technology will be better at preventing ID fraud, but admit that people’s reactions to being stopped by a machine may be a problem.

It is not clear how many airports will take part in the trial, but if it proves successful the technology will be incorporated in all UK airports.

Spanish airline Iberia has announced it will increase the free luggage allowance onboard its flights, and drop charges for excess baggage.

The new luggage policy will come to affect on May 6th. From then on passengers on European flights can check-in 23kg of luggage while business class passengers can check-in 30kg. On long-haul flights luggage allowance will be 46kg in two pieces and 96kg in three pieces for business class passengers.

The airline will also give 30% discount on excess baggage if passengers pay for it in advance through their website.

Iberia is Spain’s leading airline, with over a thousand flights every day.