US airlines push back against Senate plan to curb airport facial recognition
Kennedy said in May, "The TSA subjects countless law-abiding Americans to excessive facial recognition screenings as they travel, invading passengers' privacy without even making it clear that they can opt out of the screening." "Folks don't want a national surveillance state, but that's exactly what the TSA's unchecked expansion of facial recognition technology is leading us to," Merkley added.TSA'S PUSH FACES PRIVACY ROADBLOCKThe bill would require TSA to offer passengers an alternative identity verification method that does not involve facial recognition. It also mandates that travelers who decline facial scans must not face discriminatory treatment or additional delays. However, Airlines for America -- a trade group representing carriers like American Airlines, Delta, United, and Southwest -- warned that the bill's restrictions would harm airport efficiency and national security."Restricting TSA's use of biometrics is a step backward for our national security," the airlines wrote in their letter. They stressed that removing facial recognition would force TSA to rely heavily on manual identity checks, tying up about 75% of TSA's budget on staffing rather than investing in technology. This, they said, would hinder important innovations such as automated e-gates and TSA PreCheck Touchless ID programs.The groups cautioned that limiting facial recognition could create "an overwhelming and chaotic environment at every airport security check," causing longer wait times. - EndsWith inputs from Reuters
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