Abu Dhabi Airports has partnered with the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security (ICP) to launch the world’s first-of-its-kind biometric ‘Smart Travel’ project at the Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi.
The project will be rolled out in three phases in collaboration with Next 50, a company specializing in AI-based transportation solutions.
The project utilises the databases of the ICP to automatically authenticate travellers using biometric technology, eliminating the need for prior registration for departing passengers.
The aim for Abu Dhabi Airports is to “uphold aviation security and safety protocols” within the airport, as well as streamline the travel process for passengers, the Abu Dhabi Media Office (ADMO) reported.
Abu Dhabi Airports and Etihad Airways launched a new terminal at Zayed International Airport in November 2023, implementing biometric systems across multiple touchpoints.
This includes automated traveller registration service, self-service baggage delivery, and facial recognition verification at e-gates and boarding gates, without the need for travel documents or direct interaction with airport staff.
“The Biometric Smart Travel project reduces the time to serve travellers from 25 seconds to just seven seconds, integrating ticket and travel document verification into a single process and alleviating the burden on human resources by relying on smart gates for identity verification,” Saeed Al Khaili, director general at the ICP, said.
“By 2025, we aim to expand these systems across all security and operations touchpoints and other airlines,” Andrew Murphy, chief information officer at Zayed International Airport, said.
The Biometric Smart Travel project at Zayed International Airport aims to improve airline performance by reducing infrastructure costs and detecting fraud and forgery in identification documents.
