Emirates has introduced more than 200 biometric-enabled cameras at Dubai International Airport’s Terminal 3 to allow customers to pass through the airport using facial recognition technology.
The airline said that the cameras would allow registered passengers to go through check-in, immigration and to boarding gates, as well as accessing lounges and boarding the aircraft, without having to use their passport or boarding passes.
The initiative has been introduced through a collaboration between Emirates and the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigner Affairs - Dubai (GDRFAD).
Participating passengers need to register for the service through the Emirates app or at the airport’s check-in desks.
If they have previously visited Dubai or are a resident with a biometric record with the GDRFAD, then Emirates can match their facial image against their GDRFAD profile when they register. Emirates can also create a temporary biometric profile for those passengers who do not yet have a GDRFAD profile.
The airline said that the cameras can “recognise the biometric profile of a customer from one metre away, allowing customers to walk swiftly through areas where they used to have to pause and show documents”.
Registered passengers, who must be Emirates Skywards members, will be able to use dedicated “Biometric Zones” at Dubai International to bypass queues every time they travel.
Adel al Redha, Emirates' deputy president and chief operating officer, said: “With our latest Biometrics Path development, Emirates has invested in further innovations to enhance the customer travel experience, providing remarkable speed, efficiency, and accuracy at Terminal 3 in Dubai International Airport.”
Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, director general of GDRFAD, said: “Over the years, we have integrated artificial intelligence and biometric technologies to make travel through Dubai faster, safer and more intuitive.
“Our partnership with Emirates continues this path of excellence, reflecting the spirit of collaboration that defines Dubai’s government and private sectors.”