Frequently asked questions about Star Alliance Biometrics

There can be several reasons why your registration doesn’t work. Please note the following points when registering:

• The photograph taken for registration is very different from the one in your passport.
• The lighting conditions in your selfie are inadequate. It is best to take the photo against a white background.
• Your country of origin doesn’t allow access to the biometric data in your passport (for example China or Russia).
• Liveness detection has failed. Star Alliance Biometrics uses this to check whether it is really a person who is being photographed to prevent the creation of fake profiles.
• You have not yet reached the minimum age of 18.

If the above reasons do not help, please contact Star Alliance directly. To do this, open the Star Alliance app, and under the settings section in your biometric profile, select the function ‘Send Feedback’.

It is not possible to automatically transmit your profile that is stored in the central database to the Star Alliance app.

The decentralised saving of your data in the Star Alliance app on your personal smartphone enables you to retain full control over your data.

You only need to register once to use Star Alliance Biometrics on a permanent basis.

No, to register you need a valid passport. Registration is not possible with your ID card.

You can use Star Alliance Biometrics from the age of 18.

To do this, open the Star Alliance app, and under the settings section in your biometric profile, select the function ‘Send Feedback’. Alternatively, you can send an email to contact-us@staralliance.com.

Call up the mobile boarding pass of your imminent flight in the Lufthansa app, and press the button ‘Link boarding pass’. The boarding pass is transmitted to the Star Alliance app and linked to your biometric profile. After this, you can start using the biometric services for your chosen flight.

Biometric identification by Star Alliance Biometrics is used to verify the identity of passengers at the airport by matching photographs of the face taken at the airport with photographs already stored.

Simply look into the camera at a designated biometrics contact point at the airport (currently at security checkpoint, lounge and boarding access points). Any photos taken to match your identity are immediately deleted after successful matching.

You’ll be notified if any input from you is required at any of the contact points.

You’ll recognise the biometric access points from the Star Alliance Biometrics logo above the gate and the equivalent floor markings.

You must always have your boarding pass with you despite Star Alliance Biometrics because there may be contact points where you still need it (e.g. border controls).

Your biometric profile with Star Alliance Biometrics does not replace ID checks at the airport. Please have your passport/ID card with you at all times.

There may be various reasons why you cannot (or can no longer) be biometrically identified at the airport:

• The airport does not yet support Star Alliance Biometrics.
• The access point you have chosen does not yet support Star Alliance Biometrics. Currently, the technology is available at security checkpoints, in the lounge and when boarding. If this is the case, you’ll be asked to scan your boarding pass as usual.
  
• The airline you are flying with does not yet support Star Alliance Biometrics.
• You haven’t linked your boarding pass to your biometric profile.
  ​Instructions on linking a boarding pass with your biometric profile
• The terms and conditions may have changed and your consent is still pending. Please check the messages in your biometric profile in the Star Alliance app.
• If you are wearing a cap, sunglasses or scarf, or if the camera is impaired by strong backlight, it may not be possible to identify you. If your outward appearance has changed considerably since you registered for Star Alliance Biometrics, this could also be a reason for non-recognition.

If none of the above-mentioned reasons apply to you, please contact Star Alliance directly. To do this, open the Star Alliance app, and under the settings section in your biometric profile, select the function ‘Send Feedback’.

If biometric identification doesn’t work at one of the access points, you’ll be asked to scan your boarding pass as usual.

Star Alliance Biometrics is a Star Alliance product. Your biometric profile is only stored in the Star Alliance app on your smartphone.Neither Lufthansa nor Star Alliance have access to your biometric profile data. Your data is only stored in the airport’s database once your boarding pass information has been linked to your biometric profile. All data storing is performed in compliance with GDPR regulations. During identification at the airport, Star Alliance Biometrics provides the Lufthansa contact points with your boarding pass information.

You can delete your biometric profile at any time. To do this, go to ‘Profile Management’ in your biometric profile in the Star Alliance app. If you delete your biometric profile, you will no longer be able to make use of biometric identification.

No, no photographs will be stored at the biometric access points if you are not registered for Star Alliance Biometrics.