Airline’s new biometric feature means your face is now your boarding pass

The new Fast Pass system should create a ‘seamless’ passenger experience (Picture: Getty Images)

Flying with Qatar Airways from Doha anytime soon? Your face has just become your boarding pass.

One of the ‘largest biometric passenger rollouts of its kind in the Middle East, and globally’ has just landed in the Qatari capital.

Aptly named the ‘Fast Pass’, Hamad International Airport (HIA), Qatar Airways, and technology company SITA have partnered to introduce facial recognition for passengers in Doha.

The new service connects 700 ‘touch points’ across the airport – allowing travellers to move through check-in, security, lounges and boarding without the usual cycle of document checks.

Qatar Airways follows in the footsteps of Emirates, who launched its own biometric check-in back in Dubai in November 2025.

With more time browsing duty free, and less time frantically searching your bag or phone for your boarding pass, this could quickly become the new frontier of air travel.

But don’t leave your passport behind just yet.

Currently, the service is only available to eligible Qatar Airways passengers (Picture: Getty Images)

Passengers are required to still bring it with them to the airport in case of any technological hiccups.

Currently only available on eligible flights, HIA has stated its interest in showcasing this technology to other interested airlines.

If you’re nervous about participating in the new service, Qatar Airways has also confirmed that standard processing will remain available to all passengers.

How does Qatar Airway’s Fast Pass service work?

For anyone keen to ditch their documents, the process is very simple.

The easiest way to register is through the Qatar Airways mobile app. All you need is your passport and a plain background to take a selfie.

You can also enable Fast Pass through the self-service kiosks near Row 3 at the airport.

The pass works by capturing a passenger’s face and linking it to their passport and boarding pass.

This then creates a secure digital identity that allows the traveller to scan their face at biometric cameras at self-service bag drop, airport security gates and boarding gates.

It’s a bit like Face ID on your iPhone. Only with Fast Pass, your face is your ticket through the airport.

Similarly to the EU’s new EES border system, once you’ve registered for your Fast Pass, you won’t need to complete the process again.

When it comes to how your data is stored, Qatar Airways has shared that ‘if you register through the self-service kiosks at HIA, your personal and biometric data is secure and used only for that specific trip and is deleted 24 hours after your flight departs.’

However, if you register for your pass via the app, your data will remain securely stored on your device – shared only with the airport when Fast Pass is enabled for your trip.

If you ever want to delete your stored data you can do so at any time through the app settings.

Who is eligible to use the Fast Pass service?

While HIA is keen for other airlines to adopt biometric check-ins, Qatar Airways is currently the only carrier offering the service in Doha.

Moreover, there’s some confusion as to which passengers will be able to utilise Fast Pass.

Qatar Airways launched the new scheme on July 6, 2026 (Picture: Getty Images)

On the airline’s website, it states that if a passenger’s flight is eligible, they’ll prompt you to register once you check in through the app or self-service kiosks.

The only other information available is that participating passengers must be aged 18 and above, have a valid passport, and a trip starting in Doha.

While some passengers may still be hesitant, recent data clearly shows that more and more travellers are not only adjusting to biometric technology at the airport, but actively embracing it.

According to the 2025 IATA Global Passenger survey, half of passengers (50%) have used biometrics at some point in their airport journey – with 85% of those users reporting high levels of satisfaction.

The report also found that 74% of travellers say they would be willing to share their biometric information if it means they can skip showing a passport or boarding pass at checkpoints like check-in, security, border control, and boarding.

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