From Montreal, KL672 landed at Schiphol with passengers who used Digital Travel Credential (DTC), which allowed them to be guided quickly and efficiently through border controls using 'Tap & Go'.
The airline industry is on the cusp of a digital revolution with the introduction of the Digital Travel Credential (DTC), an innovation that has the potential to revolutionize the way we travel. A recent pilot, conducted on a flight from Montreal to Amsterdam, marks an important milestone in this development. Passengers on flight KL672 experienced for the first time the benefits of DTC-1, a digital representation of the information on the passport chip, combined with facial recognition for fast and efficient border control.
This pilot is part of a larger study that will run until March 31, 2024, aimed at testing DTC-1 in the border process. The project is led by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and the National Identity Data Service, in collaboration with the Royal Military Police, Schiphol, KLM and technology supplier Idemia. This initiative is a response to the European Commission's request to investigate the practical application of a digital travel document in the border process, as part of developing policy for the use of DTC in the future.
Travelers participating in the pilot, who come from Canada (specifically Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal) and fly to Amsterdam with KLM, must be in possession of a Belgian, Dutch or Canadian passport and be over 18 years old . These passengers will be given the opportunity to upload their passport information and a facial photo in advance via a specially developed app. Upon arrival at Schiphol, they can then go through a special DTC 'Tap & Go' border gate, where a facial scan collects their DTC. The success of the pilot could lead to faster and contactless border passage in the future, where the physical passport still plays an essential role.
Passengers flying with KLM from Canada (Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal) to Amsterdam are eligible to participate in the pilot, provided they have a Belgian, Dutch or Canadian passport and are over 18 years old.
The DTC-1 initiative comes at a time when the need for efficiency and innovation in the aviation industry has never been greater. With an increasing number of passengers and the resulting congestion at airports, DTC-1 offers a promising solution for streamlining the border process. This technological standard, issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), contains not only the biographical information of the traveler but also technical elements that confirm the authenticity of the passport.
The pilot and subsequent research will provide valuable insights into how digital travel documents such as DTC-1 can be integrated into the international travel ecosystem. The success of these efforts could not only improve security and efficiency at borders, but also represent a significant step forward in achieving a smoother travel experience for millions of international travelers.
