Orlando International Airport first airport to use facial recognition

ORLANDO, Fla. (FOX 35 WOFL) - If you plan to fly internationally out of Orlando International Airport, a quick snap of a camera will help you get there. 

Call it service with a smile. Instead of Customs employees glancing at your passport and then at your face, they’ll now ask to take your photo.

“That’s a big deal. It’s almost like Christmas in June,” said Greater Orlando Aviation Authority Executive Director Phil Brown.

By the end of the year, OIA will be the first airport in the country to use facial recognition technology for all arriving and departing international flights.

“What this replaces now is you’re not going to have to produce any documentation. It’s tokenless. You just walk up, it takes your picture, gate opens and you board the plane,” said John Wager, from the Office of Field Operations within U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The goal is get travelers on and off the plane faster with the same level of security. Officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection say the photos are 99% accurate. Officials say airport snapshots of U.S. citizens will be saved for 14 days.

“That information is what’s posted in the cloud with none of your identifying biographical data,” said Wagner.

After two weeks, it’s deleted. Some international travelers used the technology Thursday, saying they’re willing to accept the privacy concerns. 

“It’s been way faster since  the last time I came actually. (BUTTED) 14 39 03 Maybe we have to accept this. I’m not sure. But of course it poses concerns about privacy for sure,” said Andrea Navarria, from Italy.

“I think reality is with the way of the world that has to go. We just have to accept. If you want to travel, we just have to accept that,” said Garry Ferguson, of Scotland.

If you’re a U.S. citizen and don’t feel comfortable with the technology, you can opt out. Customs will look at your passport photo as usual. Airport photos for foreign travelers can be stored in the cloud for 75 years.

Right now, some of the arrivals areas of OIA are using this technology. It still needs to be implemented in departures.