Hawaii is Adding Facial Recognition at Airports as an Additional COVID-19 Detection Measure

AEC Consumer Products Monitor

According to an August 28 report by Travel Weekly, Hawaii expects to have its facial recognition system in place and operating at five Hawaii airports, by year-end 2020.   The facial imaging will be used in conjunction with temperature screening cameras to assist in monitoring and tracking arriving passengers at the more than 130 gates at Hawaii’s airports receiving out-of-state and international flights.    Temperature screening cameras have already been installed at Hawaii’s airports.

With the screening cameras, any arriving passenger who registers a temperature above 100.4 degrees is asked to submit to a voluntary secondary screening conducted by paramedics.    The five Hawaii airports that will operate with the facial recognition technology are: Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye Airport; Kahului Airport; Lihue Airport; Ellison Onizuka Kona Airport at Keahole; and Hilo Airport.

There are privacy concerns about the roll-out of this technology in Hawaii.   But if deployed and effective it may make a significant contribution to Hawaii’s travel industry recovery.   The facial recognition measure is in addition to other measures going into effect in Hawaii, including geo-fencing of guests at their resorts.