16 Mar 2016 , Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
H.H. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, has inaugurated the ‘Smart Travel’ system at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH).

The pioneering system consists of Self Check-In and Self Bag Drop facilities, automated passport control gates equipped with biometric verification functions and facial recognition technology, and Self Boarding - allowing passengers to check-in and move through immigration and security interacting only with innovative technology.

H.H. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan watched a short presentation explaining the different stages of the system and its benefits, one of which is the speed with which passengers will now be able to pass through the airport.  

H.E. Ali Majed Al Mansoori, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Airports, said: ‘‘Providing passengers with a world-class travel experience is our top priority. As the number of people passing through Abu Dhabi International Airport continues to rise, using modern technology is vital to ensure the smooth management of passenger flow. We have worked closely with Abu Dhabi Police and the Ministry of Interior on these pioneering ‘Smart Travel’ processes, and we are proud that we are staying ahead of the innovation curve and delivering the best cutting-edge solutions. This new technology not only provides greater convenience for passengers, airlines and the airport, it also improves security by giving a more accurate and reliable source of passenger data.’’ 

Brigadier Engineer Hussein Ahmed Al Harthi, Director General of Central Operations at Abu Dhabi Police, said that ‘Smart Travel’ is a leading UAE initiative that has been instated by Abu Dhabi Airports to enhance passenger comfort, better facilitate their travel, provide anyone passing through AUH with more time to experience the world-class services on offer.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Lieutenant General Saif Abdullah Al Sha'far, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Interior, H.E Major General Mohammed Khalfan Matar Al Rumaithi, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Abu Dhabi Police, Major General Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al Raisi, Inspector General of the Ministry of Interior, Major General Abdul Aziz Maktoum Al Sharifi, Director General of Protective Security and Federal Investigation at the Ministry of Interior, Brigadier Sheikh Mohammed bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Director General of Security and Ports Affairs at Abu Dhabi Police, Colonel Abdullah Saeed bin Hattab Al Dhaheri, Director of the Ports Security Institute, as well as several Ministry of Interior officers and officials from Abu Dhabi International Airport.

The ‘Smart Travel’ system at Abu Dhabi International Airport involves 5-steps: Self Check-In, Self Bag Drop, E-Registration, E-Border Gate, and Self Boarding. These processes will enhance the passenger experience by decreasing processing times at the airport by up to 70%, meaning less time in queues and more time for travelers to enjoy the airport’s retail, leisure and food & beverage facilities.

Abu Dhabi Airports is currently installing 25 e-registration stands, 58 e-gates, and 76 self boarding gates around Terminals 1 and 3 at AUH, which will be fully operational by June this year. The airport is already operating 10 self check-in kiosks and two self bag drops.