Air traffic Airports and airlines should be allowed to use facial recognition

Airports and airlines in Switzerland are to be allowed to use facial recognition for passengers in future. The Federal Council wants to allow the use of biometric data in the passenger handling process.

On Wednesday, the national government submitted a draft amendment to the Aviation Act for consultation. The Federal Council wrote that the use of biometric data would allow passengers to dispense with paper tickets or electronic boarding passes in future. Facial recognition could be used at baggage drop-off, check-in, boarding pass control or when boarding an aircraft.

However, access controls for staff using facial recognition would also be possible. According to the Federal Council, the current process without biometric data must be offered as an alternative for people who reject this.

Facial recognition is one of 22 topics in aviation that the Federal Council wants to regulate with the revision, including the protection of existing airports. Some of the proposals are based on parliamentary initiatives. The consultation period lasts until November 28.

Helicopter pilots should be allowed to fly longer

One topic is likely to be a talking point: Commercial helicopter pilots should be allowed to stay in the air longer in future, namely until the age of 65 instead of just 60. The Federal Council presented a possible implementation for a request from parliament, which the government believes is contrary to international law because it would violate the aviation agreement with the EU.

The Federal Council warned of measures by the EU if Switzerland introduces its own rules: "It would be conceivable, for example, that the EU would no longer fully recognize Swiss pilot licenses, including in the areas of scheduled, business and private aviation, or impose other market restrictions."