Delta offering facial recognition; Uber Copter to link Manhattan and JFK

Delta Air Lines is rolling out facial scanners at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to give passengers the option of boarding planes with a glance at a camera rather than using a boarding pass. The technology is aimed at simplifying the boarding process on international flights. With it, gate agents no longer need to compare passengers and their passport photos. The option will be available on Delta's international flights from the airport next month. Delta installed biometric scanners at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport last year, with 72% of customers saying they preferred it to standard tickets, the airline said. But some privacy advocates have expressed concerns that facial scans represent a new level of data for airlines and government to possess.

Kristen Leigh Painter

Uber is expanding into helicopter service, called Uber Copter, starting July 9 in New York City. The new service, booked through Uber's app, will take passengers between a heliport in Lower Manhattan and John F. Kennedy International Airport. "This is a trip that so many travelers make a day, and we see an opportunity to save them a huge amount of time on it," said Eric Allison, head of Uber Elevate. Uber Copter promises to cut the total travel time to as little as 30 minutes. It will be available only to platinum and diamond members — the top two tiers — of the company's loyalty program, Uber Rewards. These customers can book Uber Copter on demand or up to five days in advance. Nikhil Goel, Uber Elevate's head of product, said the average ride would cost $200 to $225 per person.

New York Times

For a more accessible (yet still glitzy) shopping experience than Los Angeles' Rodeo Drive, head 2 miles west to Westfield Century City. This outdoor mall got a nearly $1 billion makeover in 2017 and established itself as a lifestyle mecca. Tiffany, Tory Burch, Rolex and Tesla Motors are tenants. Dining options are diverse: Taiwanese soup-dumpling emporium Din Tai Fung, Del Frisco's Double Eagle steakhouse, Compartés Chocolates and kiosks selling everything from waffle fries to probiotic tonics. Eataly is a nonstop frenzy of charcuterie, gelato scoops and wood-fired pizzas. Miley Cyrus, Chrissy Teigen, Katie Holmes and Jamie Foxx have all been spotted in Century City, and pop-up events such as digital weight-training demos and the launch of Kim Kardashian West's beauty brand will keep them coming (westfield.com/centurycity).

Washington Post

Sun Country Airlines couldn't complete its $6 million technology upgrade last week after one of its critical flight tools failed to work when it went live. The problem arose a few hours into the transition Tuesday and forced the Eagan-based airline to continue with its old system. The airline said that it did so "in the interest of not disrupting our operation and our guests' travel plans" and that everything was functioning normally Wednesday. Sun Country has been working for a year to build a new point-of-sale and departure control system. It is also building a new website that will integrate with the system. Executives say the technology will allow Sun Country to offer better service with ticket kiosks at airports and greater customer control over online reservations.