Earlier this month, Noi Bai International Airport began operating biometric check-in kiosks at Terminal 1, marking the first deployment of the technology at the airport. The system is designed to streamline passenger processing, reduce congestion, and ease pressure during peak travel periods.
The check-in process involves three simple steps. Passengers scan their boarding pass, scan their chip-based national ID card, and look into a camera for facial recognition. The system verifies their identity in less than 10 seconds, allowing them to proceed through automated security checkpoints and boarding gates with minimal delay.
Many passengers have praised the new system. Van Hang, a resident of Phuong Liet Ward in Hanoi, said she used to spend more than 30 minutes waiting to pass through security during busy periods. With the biometric check-in kiosk, however, she completed the process in less than a minute.
Hoang Kien, a tour guide with SeaTour Travel Company in Hanoi, said tour groups previously had to arrive at the airport two to three hours before departure, with check-in procedures often taking more than an hour. Thanks to the new system, his group of 15 passengers completed check-in and entered the departure lounge in under 15 minutes.
According to Noi Bai International Airport, only a few passengers initially tried the biometric check-in kiosks after being introduced to the system by airport staff. However, the technology is now used by 2,000 to 3,000 passengers each day. Airport officials said the system has also benefited airlines by improving passenger flow and streamlining check-in and boarding procedures.
Despite the improvements, some passengers noted that the service is not yet available to all travelers. Foreign visitors, children under the age of 16, and passengers whose national ID cards are either not chip-enabled or are damaged or worn cannot currently use the biometric check-in system.
Airport representatives said that they will continue working with relevant authorities and technical partners to expand the service, with the goal of enabling biometric identity verification for all passengers in the future.
