IATA: Passengers are ready for digital travel, but industry processes are stuck in place
58% of passengers used biometric processing at an airport in the past 12 months; the real obstacle is the industry's largely unchanged processes.
What's happening
According to Consumidor Moderno, the 2026 Global Passenger Survey by IATA, the international trade association open only to airlines, shows that passengers are embracing technology with little resistance. The industry's largely unchanged processes, however, keep them stuck in place. Of those who used biometric processing, 87% are satisfied with the experience, and 84% of passengers are interested in using a digital passport instead of physical documents for online check-in.
Behind the number
The figure comes from IATA's 2026 Global Passenger Survey.
Whose desk it lands on
The executive in charge of digital channels at an airline. After biometrics and digital passports, which step still holds passengers to paper documents?
Our view
The CX Brief's interpretation, not a claim made by the source.
The barrier to biometrics is not passenger reluctance but trust. Among passengers, 59% worry about data leaks and 41% about a lack of clarity over how their data is processed. With satisfaction already high, the real task is to show passengers clearly how their data is protected.
Source
Source:IATA
Reported by: Consumidor Moderno·November 3, 2026
Conflict of interest: Consumidor Moderno sells products or services in this field.
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