Iris scans coming to LAX
Clear, a biometric screening firm, plans to install devices that are used to confirm a passenger’s identity.
A New York-based company that can confirm a person’s identity using fingerprints and iris scans has announced plans for a major expansion, including the installation of its equipment to screen passengers at Los Angeles International Airport.
The biometric screening company, called Clear, has its screening kiosks at 19 airports and sports arenas, including John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport in New York.
The kiosks, which resemble ATMs, will be expanded by the end of March to three more airports: Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, MinneapolisSt. Paul International Airport and LAX.
The devices are designed to confirm a traveler’s identification in seconds, either through a fingerprint check or an iris scan. To use the kiosks, passengers first must enroll in the Clear program, which involves answering background questions, scanning a government-approved ID and paying an annual fee of $179. Special discounts are available for some airline loyalty reward program members.
Designated Clear lanes allow members to more quickly confirm their identification before moving to the Transportation Security Administration’s screening process — the familiar drill involving an X-ray machine and a full-body scanner.
“It can confirm your identity in a nanosecond so you can go straight to the physical screening” said David Cohen, Clear’s chief administrative officer.
The company has dedicated lanes at all five terminals at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and at seven terminals at San Francisco International Airport. Clear has yet to announce how many terminals would have new lanes at LAX. Hotels with common rooms are weighed
Visitors to a hotel conference in downtown Los Angeles got to witness firsthand how a major hotel company comes up with new concepts for hotel rooms and lobbies.
Marriott International took over a city street next to Staples Center this week to display its testing ground for new products under a row of tents. The permanent lab is located in a basement at Marriott’s Bethesda, Md., headquarters.
The public and anyone attending the Americas Lodging Investment Summit were invited to check out some of the ideas under consideration by Marriott’s engineers and designers.
Among the most unusual ideas on display was a layout that surrounds a communal living room and kitchen with four bedrooms.
The group of rooms could be rented by business colleagues traveling to a conference together or friends attending a bachelor party, said Toni Stoeckl, vice president for Marriott’s distinctive select brands. Marriott is considering the idea for its Element Hotel brand.
An Element Hotel could fit one common-room configuration per floor, but Stoeckl said the company is still trying to determine if the idea would be popular or profitable.
“So far, the feedback has been very positive,” he said.
Another idea on display at the lab was an automatic drink dispenser that guests can control with a smartphone. The advantage of the dispenser is that a hotel can award guests free drinks by simply sending an email with a link to a website, Stoeckl said.
The website includes an icon that the guests can press, and within a minute, the dispenser pours out a glass of wine or beer, Stoeckl said. The website can also be linked to a credit card to pay for drinks.
Airline is ditching seat-back system
When American Airlines takes possession later this year of its new 737-Max planes, passengers will notice something missing in the cabin.
The planes won’t be equipped with seat-back entertainment systems. American Airlines, the world’s largest carrier, has decided that the systems aren’t needed because most fliers travel with their own smartphones, laptops or tablets to keep entertained.
“It makes sense for us to make our biggest investment in more reliable video streaming and faster Internet connections across our narrowbody fleet,” the airline said in a letter to employees. The 737-Max planes will, however, include power outlets to charge electronic devices.
There are trade-offs to having installed entertainment systems.
Seat-back systems can cost as much as $6 million and weigh as much as 600 pounds per plane, depending on the size of the aircraft. But the systems can generate hefty revenue by letting passengers buy food, drinks and entertainment with a touch of the screen.
American isn’t alone in its seat-back back-off.
Southwest Airlines, the nation’s busiest domestic carrier, offers no seat-back systems but provides free live and on-demand TV that passengers can watch on their personal devices. On some other carriers, including Hawaiian Airlines, travelers can rent touch-screen tablets to stream movies and TV shows.
The letter to American Airlines employees said the entertainment systems will still be installed in other planes, including an older version of the 737 and the Airbus A321.
American Airlines is scheduled to take possession of four 737-Max planes this year, with a total of 100 planes in the next five years.