"Security experts say such inspections will be widespread within five years. Offering thumbprints, palm scans or iris checks will become "second nature" for anyone passing through an airport, said Richard Gritta, a professor of transportation and finance at University of Portland. "This isn't a pipe dream at all," Gritta said. "It's the reality of where we're going. Airlines and passengers want tighter security, and there's less room for human error with biometrics."

Can someone please email me and explain how going through a biometric checkpoint will improve the security of an airport? Are they going to forgo searching my bags simply because they can identify me? If my biometric data is stored on my card, why can't I forge it? Why can't they cross reference existing databases with their list of suspects?

Sounds like another "feel safe" rather then "be safe" measure, with the added side effect that they get to collect biometrics from all kinds of innocent people.

Biometrics may scan air travelers - Tech News - CNET.com