‘Biometric Path’ Opens at Dubai International Airport by Emirates

Emirates’ contactless airport experience provides convenience and reduces human interaction, putting emphasis on health and safety.

Emirates has launched an integrated biometric path at Dubai International Airport, aiming to offer a contactless airport experience to passengers traveling from and through Dubai.

According to a company announcement, the integrated biometric path will give passengers a seamless travel journey from specific check-in to boarding gates, improving customer flow through the airport with less document checks and less queuing.

Utilising the latest biometric technology – a mix of facial and iris recognition, Emirates passengers can now check in for their flight, complete immigration formalities, enter the Emirates Lounge, and board their flights, simply by strolling through the airport.

The state-of-the-art, hygienic contactless biometric path will improve customer flow through the airport with less document checks and less queuing.

“Now, it is more vital than before to make use of technology and introduce processes that focus not only on fast tracking customers, but more importantly on health and safety during their travel journey. The state-of-the-art, contactless biometric path is the latest in a series of initiatives we have introduced to make sure that travelling on Emirates is a seamless journey and gives customers added peace of mind,” Emirates Chief Operating Officer Adel Al Redha said.

The biometric touchpoints are currently installed at select First, Business and Economy Class check-in desks in Terminal 3 at Dubai International airport; immigration gates including a “Smart Tunnel”; Emirates’ premium lounge entrance at concourse B as well select boarding gates.

The Smart Tunnel, a project by the General Directorate of Residence and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA) in collaboration with Emirates, is a world-first for passport control, where passengers simply walk through a tunnel and are “cleared” by immigration authorities without human intervention or the need for a physical passport stamp.

Emirates is also the first airline outside America to receive approval for biometric boarding from the U.S. Customs Border Protection (CBP).

Customers flying from Dubai to Emirates’ destinations in the U.S. will be able to choose facial recognition technology at the departure gates.