Aviation Dubai Airports has big plans for biometric tech By Megha Merani October 21, 2024, 7:53 AM Purple Pilchards/Alamy via Reuters Planned tech improvements at Dubai International Airport include increased use of biometrics and better accessibility Dubai Airports reveals tech plans AI and biometrics feature Better accessibility options Dubai Airports is pushing ahead with its plans for Dubai International Airport (DXB), and air taxis, biometric upgrades and improved accessibility for disabled passengers are among its efforts to modernise the passenger experience. Omar Binadai, Dubai Airports’ chief technology and infrastructure officer, told AGBI the operator is working with regulators to secure licences and establish frameworks for flying taxis, which are expected to become a key mode of transport to and from DXB, the world’s busiest airport in terms of international passenger traffic. Air taxis are expected to begin operating in the emirate in the first quarter of 2026. The operator is also upgrading its biometric infrastructure, aiming to use only facial recognition to capture arrival or departure information. This will allow travellers to walk through the airport without needing to show physical documents such as passports or tickets, Binadai explained. The use of biometric e-gates is also expected to increase from 37 to 80 percent in the future and extend to passengers transiting through the emirate, he said. The operator is also exploring “one-stop security” measures to reduce security checks for transferring passengers. Dubai Taxi partners with Bolt to take on Uber Rise in direct flights to Saudi Arabia as 12 airlines start services Dubai prepares laws to support digital businesses Dubai Airports is also assessing data storage requirements for these advanced technologies. “We’re exploring where to host the data required as part of Dubai government’s artificial intelligence investment initiative,” Binadai said, noting that the airport can manage its data storage needs in house for now. It relies on its own data centre complex to maintain “zero downtime” in operations. The operator is also investing in new accessibility technologies. Dubai Airports plans to roll out 83 terminals for hearing-impaired passengers to communicate with specialists and is considering tech-driven solutions for other disabilities. “We need to look for more AI and technology [solutions] that help people with disabilities to be more independent from interacting with personnel,” he said. Dubai Airports revised its annual passenger forecast for 2024 in August, projecting a record 91.8 million passengers, up from the 91 million forecast in May this year. This revision follows an eight percent year-on-year increase in passenger numbers during the first six months, totalling nearly 45 million.
