Frequently asked questions about Star Alliance Biometrics
The biometric face field recognition of Star Alliance gives you speedy and almost contactless access to security screening and boarding – without the need for a boarding pass or smartphone. You will find a summary of all the important questions and answers here.
Registration and login
There can be several reasons why your registration doesn’t work. Please also note the following points when registering:
- The name in your Miles & More account does not match the name on your passport.
- The photograph taken for registration is very different from the one in your passport.
- The lighting of your selfie is inadequate. It is best to take the photo against a white background.
- Your country of origin does not 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-mentioned reasons do not help you, please contact Star Alliance directly. To do this, go to the Star Alliance app settings and select the "Send Feedback" function. You can then contact the relevant service centre.
Star Alliance Biometrics is a Star Alliance product. For this reason, as a Lufthansa customer you can only register with a Miles & More account. A Lufthansa iD profile is not sufficient for this. If you have both a Lufthansa iD and a Miles & More account, you can link your accounts via your Lufthansa iD profile.
If you do not yet have a Miles & More account, you can create one free of charge. Please use the following link to register free of charge and immediately receive your Miles & More service card number.
You only need to register once to use Star Alliance Biometrics on a permanent basis. As Star Alliance Biometrics identifies you using your Miles & More service card number, simply enter this when booking your next flight.
If you would also like to use the technology with Star Alliance partners with another frequent flyer programme, you must register again with the corresponding Miles & More service card number. The registration must then be started via the app of the respective Star Alliance Biometrics Partner.
Yes, a new registration is currently necessary if you have received a new Miles & More service card number due to a change of status.
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.
Please make sure that you have the latest version of the Miles & More app installed. If this is not the case, perform an update.
The six-digit PIN that you have chosen protects your biometric profile in the Star Alliance app. The existing passwords for your Lufthansa iD or your Miles & More account will not be changed by this.
Go to settings in the Star Alliance app, and select the "Send Feedback" function. You can then contact the relevant service centre.
If you do not remember your PIN or the answer to your security question, please contact Star Alliance directly. To do this, go to the Star Alliance app settings and select the "Send Feedback" function. You can then contact the relevant service centre.
At the airport
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 and boarding access points). Photographs that are taken to match your identity and are of good quality are additionally stored in your biometric profile. Up to five photos can be stored to improve identification.
You will be notified if any input from you is required at any of the contact points.
You will 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.
Overview of airports that offer biometric identification - The access point you have chosen does not yet support Star Alliance Biometrics. Currently, the technology is available at security checkpoints and boarding. If this is the case, you will be asked to scan your boarding pass as usual.
- The airline you are flying with does not yet support Star Alliance Biometrics.
Overview of Star Alliance Biometrics partners - 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.
- To be able to use the biometric service at the airport, you must quote your Miles & More service card number when booking. Otherwise your biometric profile cannot be identified.
- In the case of a last-minute booking or last-minute check-in, your flight booking may not yet have been synchronised with Star Alliance Biometrics.
- If there has been a change in your Miles & More membership status, it is possible that this information has not yet been synchronised with Star Alliance Biometrics. Updated Miles & More service card numbers are synchronised every 24 hours. If this is the case, please be patient.
- If you are wearing a cap, sunglasses or scarf, or if the camera is impaired by strong backlight, you may not be identified. 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, go to settings in the Star Alliance app, and select the "Send Feedback" function. You can then contact the relevant service centre.
If biometric identification does not work at one of the access points, you will be asked to scan your boarding pass as usual.
Data protection
To optimise the identification process, Star Alliance stores up to five photographs of you. Your Miles & More service card number and the expiry date of your passport are also stored.
Your validated Miles & More service card number is linked to your biometric profile to later identify you as a passenger at the airport.
In addition, your name is needed to match the name on your passport with the name of your Miles & More account. Your name is deleted after successful matching and not stored by Star Alliance. Matching with your booking is only made via your Miles & More service card number.
The Star Alliance app needs your validated Miles & More service card number to link it with your biometric profile and to later identify you as a passenger at the airport.
Your name is only needed to match the name on your passport with the name of your Miles & More account. Your name is deleted after successful matching.
Star Alliance Biometrics stores up to five photographs of you to optimise facial recognition. You cannot view the saved photos. You only have access to your biometric profile, which contains, among other things, your settings for the use of your data.
Star Alliance Biometrics is a Star Alliance product. Accordingly, it is Star Alliance that stores your data. In the European zone, your data is stored in a Microsoft Azure Cloud in compliance with GDPR regulations. Lufthansa has no access to your biometric profile data. During identification at the airport, Star Alliance Biometrics provides the Lufthansa contact points with your boarding pass information.
You can log into your biometric profile at any time in the Star Alliance app under "Profile". To do this, you will need your Miles & More service card number as well as the six-digit PIN you set when registering.
If you do not have your Miles & More service card number available, you can also start login via the Miles & More app – provided you are already logged into the Miles & More app. In this case, your Miles & More service card number will be transmitted to the Star Alliance app, and you do not have to log in manually.
You can restrict the use of your biometric profile using the following parameters:
- Airline / Star Alliance Biometrics partner
- Airport
You can change the settings at any time in your biometric profile within the Star Alliance app.
If you cannot remember either your PIN or the answer to your security question, please contact Star Alliance directly. To do this, go to settings in the Star Alliance app, and select the "Send Feedback" function. You can then contact the relevant service centre.
Your biometric profile contains sensitive data that Star Alliance Biometrics wants to protect in the best way possible. For this reason, you are logged out automatically after your session has expired. Using your profile again requires a new login.
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 are stored at the biometric access points if you are not registered for Star Alliance Biometrics.