ANA will participate in trials run by Japan's Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport to simplify check-in and immigration procedures for passengers departing Tokyo's Narita Airport on ANA flights. The ANA portion of the so-called Simplifying Passenger Travel (SPT) trials will run from January 31 this year to March 23 (inclusive) in the South Wing of Terminal 1.

Participation in the trials will be on a voluntary basis and open to members of ANA Mileage Club (AMC) taking ANA flights. Participants will be issued with a biometric IC card containing their passport information and fingerprint, which will be used to verify their identity at an automated gate and issue a boarding pass at a Self Service Unit located in immigration, after clearing security.

The trials will follow two patterns: pattern a) for customers travelling on e-tickets, with no check-in baggage, who complete check-in procedures on-line, thus removing the need to go via check-in counters - they will collect their boarding pass at immigration once their identity has been confirmed; b) all other customers, who will complete check-in at the airport - either at a counter or a Self Service Unit - and collect their boarding pass before proceeding to security and the automated gate at immigration. All customers travelling to the United States may only volunteer take part in pattern b regardless of their ticket type.

The trials will only simulate immigration procedures, and participants will be required to completing actual formalities via a special priority immigration lane.

The results of the trial will be used in the development of a new generation of airport procedures designed to simplify and speed up movement through the airport while maintaining maximum security.

ANA first took part in biometric technology tests at Narita Airport in December 2003 and again in February 2005. In 2004 it implemented IC technology to speed up international check-in, since when customers have been able to complete check-in procedures on-line before leaving for the airport. On arrival at the departure lobby they need to do no more than touch their IC equipped card or mobile phone to a Self Service Unit, and introduce their passport, to print their boarding pass in a matter of seconds before proceeding to security and immigration.

ANA has been based at the South Wing of Terminal 1 since June 2006, when it co-located there with other Star Alliance member airlines serving Narita. Among other facilities, the South Wing boast 127 common-use Self Service Units and in-line baggage screening to make customers' journeys more pleasant, simple and convenient.