For the past few years I have been traveling to Europe two or three times a year on holiday. Earlier this month, while traveling from Seattle to Frankfurt on Lufthansa, I experienced something new. While waiting in line to board I noticed two uniformed officers, with portable floor mounted cameras, stationed immediately before the gate agent where you have your ticket scanned before entering the jet way. Passengers, me included, were requested (required?) to stand with your toes on the line (drawn on the floor) and have your photo taken. After the photo was taken either a green light or a red light flashed. I observed that after most passenger photos were taken the green light flashed. A couple of times I did see the red light flash, although those passengers were allowed to continue boarding normally, with no additional measures taken. It was done very quickly and did not seem to delay the boarding process.
I am assuming that passenger gate photos were being matched up with passport photos for security/tracking purposes. Since the “red light” passengers continued boarding the same as everyone else I imagine that they are in a testing phase. Unfortunately I was so interested watching the process I failed to notice the officer’s affiliation.
Has anyone else observed this or can shed any additional information as to why passenger photos were being taken/used?