Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport in the United Arab Emirates is a £2.3bn high-tech facility that is on track to become the world's first passport-free airport by 2025.
The airport’s “Smart Travel” project will implement biometric sensors at all checkpoints such as check-in counters, immigration booths, duty-free checkouts, airline lounges and boarding gates.
The airport's innovative approach was recently praised by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, with the words “America needs to catch up.” Daily Express reported.
Andrew Murphy, Chief Information Officer at Abu Dhabi Airport, said: “We are expanding the system to nine touchpoints and this would be a world first. It is designed with no pre-registration required, passengers are automatically recognised and authenticated as they move through the airport, significantly speeding up the entire process.”
Murphy explained that anyone arriving in the UAE for the first time, whether residents or tourists, has their biometric data collected at immigration by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP).
He added: “What really makes this biometric solution unique is that it partners with ICP to use that data to make the passenger experience seamless. And that's why everyone can use it.”
According to a survey by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), 75% of passengers prefer to use biometric data instead of paper passports and boarding passes.
For those who are not comfortable with technology, traditional verification processes will still be available.
Louise Cole, IATA's director of customer experience and facilitation, said one reason the industry is so far behind in getting to that fully contactless biometric experience is that “it's hard to imagine any other consumer process you go through where you have to stop and prove something over and over and over again.”
However, Singapore's Changi Airport is embracing this technology in collaboration with the government's immigration authority to develop a biometric clearance system available to both residents and tourists.
The system will be implemented gradually, starting this month.
Hong Kong International Airport, Tokyo Narita Airport, Tokyo Haneda Airport and Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport have also introduced biometric terminals at various points during transit.
