Source: LufthansaIf German airliner Lufthansa has its way, physical boarding passes will be a thing of the past as it prepares to launch its biometric boarding pass program throughout the United States.

The program, which was successfully trialed in Los Angeles, will use a special camera to photograph travelers’ faces instead of requiring a boarding pass or barcode from travelers’ phones and will upload those images to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The process, which takes just a few seconds, improved boarding times while under trial in L.A., with Lufthansa reporting that it was able to board 350 passengers onto an Airbus A380 in roughly 20 minutes.

“We anticipate that in near time, biometric boarding, as well as other aspects of the air travel experience, will be widely utilized across the U.S. and beyond,” said Bjoern Becker, Lufthansa’s senior director, product management ground and digital services.

“The increasing need for airlines, airports and authorities to offer faster and more convenient processes for guests to move through the airport creates a unique opportunity for the use of biometrics,” said Becker. “Lufthansa strives to enhance the customer experience by applying advanced technologies and innovative solutions. This is a further step towards achieving that goal.”

Experts expect that other airlines will likely follow Lufthansa’s lead.