The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Air New Zealand and Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) (HKIA) are the first organizations to achieve One ID Certification, with the certifications presented at the IATA World Passenger Symposium (WPS) in Macao. One ID is a set of global industry standards for using digital identity and biometrics across the passenger journey, supporting a journey where passengers confirm their identity and travel documents before reaching the airport, then pass through checkpoints using facial recognition instead of repeatedly showing their passport and boarding pass. The new certification gives airlines, airports, and governments assurance that an organization's use of digital identity and biometrics meets IATA's global One ID standards.
Organizations can be certified in one or more of four areas of activity: Digitalization of Admissibility, Contactless Travel, Biometric Handling, and Privacy, Consent, and Governance, and the certification is open to airlines, airports, and technology providers. As the first organizations to achieve One ID Certification, Air New Zealand and Hong Kong International Airport were certified across all areas applicable to their respective operations. IATA's 2026 Global Passenger Survey found that 78% of passengers would be willing to share their biometric information in order to avoid having to present physical travel documentation at airport checkpoints. "Digital identity can make travel much simpler for passengers, but only if everyone involved in the journey trusts how others verify identity, handle biometric data, and protect privacy," said Nick Careen, IATA's Senior Vice President, Operations, Safety and Security.
HKIA's self-service biometric identification system, Flight Token, has transformed the departure journey by enabling passengers to travel through key airport checkpoints using facial recognition; today, more than 80% of departing passengers at HKIA are eligible to use Flight Token across all checkpoints of the departure journey, and since its launch in 2021, more than 93 million passengers have used Flight Token to date. Vivian Cheung, Chief Executive Officer of Airport Authority Hong Kong, said achieving One ID Certification confirms that HKIA's digital identity and biometric processes align with IATA's global standards. Jeremy O'Brien, Air New Zealand's Chief Customer & Digital Officer, said the airline's trial with Hong Kong International Airport showed how digital identity could work across borders, reducing the need for documentation and queuing.