EU’S ENTRY-EXIT SYSTEM SET FOR OCTOBER 2024 LAUNCH

The European Union’s new Entry-Exit System (EES) is set to launch in October 2024, reports Business Travel News. EES is an automated IT system for registering travelers from non-EU countries, including the US and UK, when they cross the EU’s external border. It will apply to both short-stay visa holders and visa-exempt travelers. The implementation of EES has already been delayed several times; this has also pushed back the introduction of the related European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) for non-EU visitors until mid-2025. EES needs to be introduced before the EU can launch ETIAS, which will require visitors from third countries to pay a fee for an electronic authorization that lasts for up to three years. The countries taking part in EES are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

UK CONSIDERING NEW INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL SYSTEM WITHOUT PASSPORTS

The UK plans to implement a “smart” passport system that would allow travelers to cross borders without showing a passport, reports Travel Pulse. The “frictionless facial recognition” may go into trial as early as this year, said UK Border Force Director-General Phil Douglas. This upgrade would allow travelers to simply look into a camera instead of presenting a physical passport. The current system already relies on facial recognition, but the new technology would utilize a centralized data system instead of depending on data encrypted on the passport. The updated system would require that travelers register on a database. Similar technology has been successfully implemented at Dubai International Airport. Douglas also shared that an initial trial of the new technology would likely be conducted at “a single airport for a limited number of travelers," with a procurement scheduled to follow the tests.

DOT LAUNCHES TRANSPORTATION INNOVATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) announced the launch of a new advisory committee that will advise the Secretary of Transportation on transportation innovation, reports Transportation Today. The Transforming Transportation Advisory Committee (TTAC) will consist of 27 members including experts from think tanks, academic institutions, labor, and the public sector regarding topics ranging from automation to cybersecurity, to safety and entrepreneurship. “We are living in a time filled with unprecedented opportunity and unprecedented challenges in transportation,” said Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg. “The deep expertise and diverse perspectives of this impressive group will provide advice to ensure the future of transportation is safe, efficient, sustainable, equitable, and transformative.” The first advisory committee meeting will be held on January 18, 2024, and will cover issues related to pathways to deploy emerging technologies, approaches to promoting greater cross-modal integration of emerging technologies, policies to encourage innovation, approaches to sharing data securely, and ways the DOT can identify and elevate cybersecurity solutions across transportation systems and infrastructures.

AIRLINES WANT FAA AND DOT TO LOOK INTO TWO MAJOR ISSUES CAUSING FLIGHT DELAYS

Airlines for America (A4A), the trade group that represents most major domestic airlines, has asked the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to look into the imbalance created by private planes and commercial jets in terms of delays as well as the shortage in air traffic controllers, reports Travel Pulse. The group asked the government agencies to “take all possible actions to find the appropriate balance between commercial and private aviation traffic with the goal of minimizing delays and cancellations for the traveling public.” A4A also requested that “all possible steps be taken to avert additional staffing triggers, particularly in high volume centers.” The FAA responded that airlines, general aviation, and others “have a seat at the Command Center, where the FAA monitors the airspace 24/7 and gives updates every two hours.” The FAA also said, “as air travel continues to rebound, the agency is taking immediate action to recruit, train and hire more air traffic controllers.” According to the FAA, less than one percent of delays were caused by inadequate staffing. It did agree that there is a shortage, however.

THE TSA IS TESTING SAMSUNG MOBILE ID VERIFICATION IN ARIZONA

According to Travel Market Report, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is now accepting mobile Arizona-issued driver's licenses and ID cards on Samsung devices as a means of identification for testing purposes. At 27 Arizona airports, travelers can now present their identification via their Samsung Wallet by turning on Bluetooth and scanning their Samsung Galaxy smartphone or Galaxy Watch, rather than showing their physical license or ID card. This is the TSA’s first time testing mobile IDs in the Samsung Wallet. “With the addition of Samsung, TSA now accepts, from participating states, mobile driver’s licenses and ID cards in multiple digital wallets on devices from multiple manufacturers,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske. “Our Samsung partnership spotlights our commitment to expanding options for eligible passengers to use mobile driver’s licenses. TSA is committed to implementing new technologies that improve security effectiveness and collaborating on international, open standards that provide enhanced privacy protections, while also offering airline passengers a more convenient and efficient travel experience.”