Search DubaiPRNetwork.com

Dubai and UAE

Saturday, September 21, 2019/ Editor

Home >> Travel, Tourism, Airline and Hotel

Emirates first on-board for biometric boarding

Home >> Travel, Tourism, Airline and Hotel

Dubai, United Arab Emirates -  September 21, 2019:   Emirates is once again pushing the boundaries of technology, becoming the first airline outside America to receive approval for biometric boarding from the U.S. Customs Border Protection (CBP).

Soon, customers flying from Dubai to any of Emirates' 12 destinations in the U.S. will be able to choose facial recognition technology at the departure gates, reducing the time taken for identity checks to two seconds or less. No pre-registration is required, and customers may also choose not to use the technology. Emirates does not store any biometric records of its customers – all the data is managed securely by CBP.
 
The technology was piloted at the departure gates of Emirates' flights from Dubai to New York and Los Angeles through the peak periods in July and August. The results were encouraging with some flights achieving 100% biometric boarding and zero manual checks. The airline expects to make biometric boarding available for all its U.S. destinations by year-end, once the equipment is in place.
 
How biometric boarding works: at the boarding gate, the system clicks the passenger's photo, which is matched against CBP's gallery in real-time to verify the person's identity in two seconds or less. The system may not work for those who haven't travelled to the U.S. for a long time or whose images are not in CBP's gallery, in which case they can simply approach the gate desks.
 
Dr Abdulla Al Hashimi, Divisional Senior Vice President, Emirates Group Security said: 'Safety and security will always remain our number one priority, as Emirates continues to explore and invest in innovative solutions for hassle-free travel that help our customers fly better. Our ultimate aim is to help our passengers travel paperless, without the need for passports and IDs. Biometric boarding is one more step in streamlining processes at our hub using digital technology, saving our customers time and giving them peace of mind. We are talking with authorities of several countries to make security using facial recognition technology more acceptable and accessible.'
 
John Wagner, Deputy Executive Assistant Commission, Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said: 'CBP has been working with our stakeholders like Emirates to build a simplified, but secure travel process that aligns with CBP's and the travel industry's modernization efforts. By comparing a traveler's face to their passport or visa photo that was previously provided for the purpose of travel, we have streamlined identity verification that further secures and enhances the customer experience.'
 
The announcement will serve as a boost for AVSEC Global 2019, which is being held from Sunday, 22 to Tuesday, 24 September at the JW Marriott Marquis, Dubai. The symposium is one of the most significant aviation security events in the region and one of the biggest globally.
 
In June, Emirates had implemented biometric boarding for passengers on its Washington-Dubai flights. The airline expects to roll out this technology across all its US destination airports. Emirates currently flies to 12 US cities: New York, Newark, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Orlando and Fort Lauderdale. In October last year, Emirates launched the world's first biometric path to offer customers a smooth and seamless journey at Dubai International airport.
 

 

 

Share


Previous in Travel and Tourism

Next in Travel and Tourism


Home >> Travel, Tourism, Airline and Hotel Section

Latest Press Release

RTA Completes Traffic Upgrades to Improve Connectivity Between Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road v ...

Dubai Municipality Announces Registration Opening for the Second Edition of the Food Systems Excelle ...

Emirates Aviation University marks 35 years of supporting the local and global aviation ecosystem

Emirates layers on retrofitted aircraft with latest product, including Premium Economy to more citie ...

Music, Maps, and Stories at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library in July

New SHEGLAM Daydreamer Mini Palette Turns Pocket-Sized into Power Pigment

GEMS Education launches GEMS School Management (GSM) to deliver world-class schools globally; in adv ...

Dubai Airshow 2025 unveils new features as registration opens, promising unmatched experiences on an ...

Passenger Growth Hits 5% in May

João Almeida: Racing for Glory and Riding for the Team

May Air Cargo Demand Up 2.2% Despite Trade Disruptions

Return to Ritual: Celebrate Self-Care Month with BUFARMA Skincare

Dubai Government Human Resources Department organises 2nd Human Resources Forum of 2025 to discuss e ...

Dubai Customs and Dubai Police: A strategic partnership to protect the homeland and to promote stabi ...

Rediscover family shopping days: REDTAG opens its doors in Al Ain

Dubai Culture Launches Open Call for 14th Sikka Art & Design Festival

Summer Restaurant Week Returns This DSS with Over 65 Exclusive Dining Deals Across Dubai

Julien Calloud Appointed CEO of SAVOYE to Lead a New Era of Performance and Innovation

Zoho Powers Up CRM for Everyone Platform with AI to Elevate Customer Experience

Media's Role in the Age of Algorithms By HH Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum