COVID Solution VeriFLY Enables Security Line Reservations at DEN

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Image via Denver International Airport

Reservations allowed; temperature check required for this security line at Denver International Airport.

Denver International Airport (DEN) is the first airport to launch VeriFLY, an app from Daon that offers reserved security checkpoint times, a dedicated screening lane and added health checks. Reservations are free and can be made up to two weeks before a flight, but slots are limited and issued in 15-minute increments daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. The app is currently available in the Apple Store and will be added soon to Google Play.

To gain access to the expedited VeriFLY checkpoint, which has both Precheck and conventional screening lanes, passengers must fill out a COVID-19 health questionnaire on the app 24 hours before their flight. Once at the airport, VeriFLY flyers step up to an electronic temperature reader. If the temperature reading is below 100.4 °F, passengers get the green light to scan their QR code at the touchless, electronic gate and move on to security screening.

For an added level of health security, once through the TSA checkpoint VeriFLY passengers also get access to a reserved car on the underground train for the ride from the main terminal to the concourses. For social distancing purposes, only 12 VeriFLY travelers are allowed in the designated train car at a time. To make sure this perk does not create any backups on the train line, Denver International Airport has added train cars and increased the train frequency.

Measuring Success and Protecting Passenger Data

For now, DEN is the only airport where the VeriFLY program is operational, but other airports have expressed interest. “They are excited to learn from our experience and move forward with a similar solution once we prove it successful,” said Chris McLaughlin, chief operating officer at Denver International Airport.

Some measures of success will be the cost of the program, the level of cooperation from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and passenger confidence in the security of their data. “During the pilot, our costs are minimal,” said McLaughlin. “If we are successful in the pilot, we will prove that there are actually operational efficiencies that can be gained from this … [The TSA] has been an equal partner in our desire to restore confidence to the flying public. We could not be successful without this strong relationship and shared vision,” McLaughlin added.

Regarding security of passenger data, Daon CEO Tom Grissen said, “No identity data will ever leave your personal mobile device. And on the device itself, we store only encrypted identity templates that cannot be reverse engineered.”

More Perks in the Works for DEN Passengers

The checkpoint reservation program is just one piece of a pilot program the airport is rolling out this fall that is designed for passengers seeking more confidence in the airport journey. “We are looking at touchless, pre-ordered retail, remote screening operations,and even improvements to our ground transportation operation,” McLaughlin said. “We are interested in improving the experience at every point where a customer has traditionally been close to someone or had to physically interact with someone.”