An experiment is being launched in Russia for boarding airplanes using biometrics.

      May 15, 2026 14:36 Society From June 1, Russian airports Sheremetyevo and Pulkovo will begin an experiment on boarding passengers onto the aircraft using biometric data. This project, developed by the Ministry of Digital Development and the Ministry of Transport, aims to simplify the registration and boarding process.

      Launch of the biometric experiment

      The pilot project on biometrics was approved by the Russian government on May 10 and will be conducted until April 2027. As part of the experiment, flights of the airline "Aeroflot" between Moscow and St. Petersburg will be tested. This is one of the first steps towards creating a "digital sky," where biometrics will replace traditional documents.

      How to register using biometrics

      To participate in the experiment, passengers must pre-register in the Unified Biometric System (EBS). This system is already used for various government and commercial services, such as payment for purchases, transport travel, and remote business registration.

      Through the bank: bank employees will take a virtual facial imprint and voice recording of the passenger.

      At the airport: from May 15, special registration points will appear in Sheremetyevo and Pulkovo, where biometrics can be registered.

      Through the mobile application "Gosuslugi Biometry": after entering the data, they can be managed through a personal account on the Gosuslugi portal.

      The biometric system will be implemented during boarding the aircraft. Identification will be carried out by aviation structures, the airport, and the airline. This will improve the process for all participants, believes Gusаров. Biometric data replaces the traditional boarding pass. The passenger only needs to look into the camera of the self-service terminal or at the mobile device of the airline employee. The system will match the passenger's face with the digital template in the EBS database.

      Security of biometric data

      The security of the biometric system is ensured by liveness technology, which checks that a living person is in front of the camera, not their photograph or mask. Algorithms analyze micro-expressions, blinking, and head turns, making forgery virtually impossible.

      All biometric data is stored in the Unified Biometric System, operated by JSC "Center for Biometric Technologies." The data is securely encrypted and stored separately from other personal information. Identity verification occurs in real-time, eliminating the risk of unauthorized access.

      Reporting for flights

      Russian law requires confirmation of business travel expenses with documents. Boarding using biometrics is not a problem, as the boarding pass serves two functions: it confirms the cost of the flight and proves that the ticket was used by a specific employee. The Ministry of Finance of Russia notes that the absence of a boarding pass does not hinder the recognition of expenses if the flight is confirmed by other documents.

      Alternatives to the boarding pass:

      An airline certificate of the flight fact (a paid service with complete flight information).

      The itinerary receipt of the electronic ticket (confirms the cost and is sent to the email).

      Together with the order for the business trip and the advance report, these documents are sufficient grounds for confirming expenses. The tax authority also considers the order for the business trip and the report on completed work as indirect confirmations.

      "The boarding pass can also be printed at the registration desk. In addition, there are other confirming documents. Most likely, later in the user's personal account, there will be an option to print reporting documents through the website," commented HR expert Ilya Varakin in a conversation with 360.ru.

      The future of biometrics in aviation

      The new passenger identification system will speed up and simplify pre-flight formalities, improving the quality of control, said the editor-in-chief of Avia.ru, Roman Gusаров. According to him, biometric systems eliminate errors, unlike visual passport checks. Modern foreign passports contain the necessary data for accurate recognition. In Sheremetyevo, it is already possible to cross the border using biometrics, noted the expert.

      The successful implementation of the pilot project may lead to the expanded use of biometrics in other airports and airlines. This will simplify the registration and boarding process, making it faster and more convenient for passengers. However, despite all the advantages, biometrics do not replace traditional documents and continue to be used alongside them. The NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on the main events, exclusive materials, and timely information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+.