You’re not radio-tagging me!

I first learned about the OpTag project from an article in the Guardian in 2005. Run by various European parties the OpTag project is funded by the European Union and “aims to increase the safety and security of air travel whilst maximising the utilisation of existing facilities”, according to the OpTag web site (domain no longer active).

Sounds good so far, right? Well, until you learn how OpTag proposes to do this - by radio-tagging passengers! Yes, you got it right - radio-tagging!

What nonsense!

Now I’ve found it hard to take OpTag seriously, partly because of the number of simple spelling mistakes on their web site (I’ve never seen so many ways of spelling the word article), partly because their reasons why passenger tagging is needed and their claimed solutions are just pure nonsense.

OpTag claims that passenger tagging is needed, because it would help airports and airlines improve “passenger management” (their words not mine). E.g. if an airline could identify a passenger’s whereabouts down to a distance of 1 meter, it would help reduce the flight delays that occur because a passenger is late for the gate. The airline could either send a runner to get the passenger or they could send out targeted Tannoy messages.

Personally, I think that is just nonsense. First of all the airlines are hardly known for being over-staffed, somehow I can’t see a go-find-the-lost-passenger runner being very high on the list. Secondly the time it would take from identifying the passenger’s whereabouts on a camera in the control room, get that message (that is photo and location of passenger) to the runner, the runner to go find the passenger (who by the way may have moved in the meantime) and lead the passenger to the gate, would be better spent just getting the passenger’s luggage off the plane and the plane in the air.

In my opinion, if airlines give passengers enough time to get to the gate, call any late passengers on the Tannoy and they still don’t turn up, then they’ve missed the plane, end of!

OpTag also claims that the system could help airport security, but fails to give any examples that converts me. Tracking a lost child or monitoring suspicious behavior are not good enough reasons for me to wear any form of radio-tag. Nor does it help airport security, the footage I have seen of the 9/11 terrorists did not reveal any suspicious behaviour.

Initially OpTag’s plan was for boarding passes to be tagged, now they are talking about each passenger carrying a small device that contains the radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag. So what stops a passenger from leaving the boarding pass or the device with someone else, forgetting it somewhere, or deliberately throwing the device in the bin?

Heads-up airlines

As I wrote above, I’ve really found it hard to take the OpTag project seriously and I’m surprised that it managed to secure funding from the European Union. I find it a classic case of using technology for the sake of technology, unless of course there is a more sinister reason for wanting to introduce the system that they are not telling us about!

But now that the system is about to be tested at Debrecen Airport in Hungary, I just wanted to give a heads-up to all airlines:

You are not tagging me! I’ve never been late for a flight, I’ve never caused any trouble on any flight, I’ve never acted in a threatening manner or committed any crime and it is none of your business how much time I spend in the restroom. If this gets introduced then I’ll stop flying and start using the slow-boat.

Now I know, the airlines don’t really care about little me, but how about you, are you happy to be tagged?

Technorati Tags: radio-tagging, travel,OpTag