Abu Dhabi Airports has partnered with the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security to launch the biometric-based Smart Travel (Biological Fingerprint) project at Zayed International Airport.
This innovative project, which is the first of its kind in the world, relies on the database of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security, to activate the biometric verification system for travelers automatically without the need to complete any registration procedures before traveling from Zayed International Airport. Through this project, Abu Dhabi Airports aims to ensure the application of the highest standards of security and safety in all facilities affiliated with Zayed International Airport, and to improve the passenger experience.
The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security is collaborating with Next50, a company specializing in AI-based transportation solutions, to implement this project in three phases with the aim of integrating biometrics into all security points and operations at the airport, which contributes to enhancing the passenger experience from their arrival at the airport building until they board the plane.
As part of the announcement of the opening of the new passenger terminal at Zayed International Airport in November 2023, Abu Dhabi Airports, in cooperation with its strategic partner, Etihad Airways, has activated biometric systems at the main checkpoints at Zayed International Airport. This includes the automated passenger registration service provided by the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security to facilitate travel procedures, self-service baggage delivery, and checking the identity of passengers by scanning their face print through electronic gates and at boarding gates, without the need to present travel documents or communicate directly with airport staff.
Abu Dhabi Airports has begun implementing an additional phase of this project, which includes activating biometric systems at five additional airlines, at check-in counters and all boarding gates, in addition to creating new electronic gates in specific transit areas to record passengers’ biometric data and facilitate their identification through facial print. The future expansion project also includes the Etihad Airways lounge and retail outlets located in the duty-free zone.
Abu Dhabi Airports also aims to increase the number of passengers benefiting from this service by introducing new electronic gates inside the waiting lounges designated for transit flights, to record passengers’ identification data and facial prints, making Zayed International Airport one of the world’s leading airports in activating biometric fingerprint systems, to improve the passenger experience and ensure the highest standards of security and safety.
Andrew Murphy, Chief Information Officer at Zayed International Airport, said: “We are very pleased to partner with the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security to implement this pioneering project at the new passenger terminal at Zayed International Airport. As we continue to enhance the passenger experience by providing them with easy, fast and smooth services, advanced biometric systems will undoubtedly enable us to achieve this goal. We look forward to activating biometric systems on a large scale by 2025, to include all security points, operations and other airlines. We are fully confident that this fruitful cooperation will enable us at Abu Dhabi Airports to continue to improve the services we provide to passengers through our airports with the highest quality standards, to ensure their security and safety at all times, and to provide them with an exceptional travel experience that meets world-class standards and exceeds expectations.”
Major General Suhail Saeed Al Khaili, Director General of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security, said: “The Biometric (Smart Travel) project aims to improve the traveler’s experience at Zayed International Airport, starting from the point of entry to the airport until the moment of boarding the plane, in a smooth and safe manner, ensuring a high level of security and safety standards. We are pleased to cooperate in implementing the project with Abu Dhabi Airports, as a leading national institution in managing and operating airports, in addition to being the gateway for travelers to the Emirate of Abu Dhabi from all over the world.”
He added: “The biometric fingerprint (smart travel) project for ports and passports achieves great added value, which is represented in improving the ability of the relevant departments to serve travelers from 25 seconds to only 7 seconds, and reducing the number of travelers’ crossing points and merging them into one procedure, which is the point of verifying the ticket and travel document, which reduces the burden on the human cadre of passport employees by relying on smart gates to verify the identity of travelers.”
It is worth noting that the biometric fingerprint (smart travel) project will bring great benefits to Zayed International Airport and airlines, as it contributes to enhancing the performance of airlines by avoiding the need for costly infrastructure expansion projects, and contributes to detecting fraud and forgery in personal identification documents.
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