In a move to enhance operational efficiency and streamline border control procedures, flydubai has introduced new smart gates powered by biometric and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies at its Airport Operations Centre in Dubai.
The initiative, launched in collaboration with emaratech, a UAE-based technology solutions provider, is part of the airline’s ongoing efforts to modernise its systems and support smoother travel experiences for its staff.
The newly installed gates are designed to facilitate quicker, paperless immigration checks for flydubai’s pilots and cabin crew, integrating AI-driven facial recognition with real-time data validation. The system connects directly to both flydubai’s crew platforms and Dubai immigration systems, ensuring seamless verification before flight duties commence.
His Excellency Thani Alzaffin, Group CEO of emaratech, highlighted the broader impact of the collaboration:
“We are proud to partner with flydubai in pioneering a next-generation, paperless immigration experience for their crew members. Through AI-powered facial recognition, our smart gates enable a truly frictionless journey.”
He added that this step reflects emaratech’s mission to make border control smarter and more secure, using innovation to improve convenience and trust across travel touchpoints.
flydubai’s Chief Procurement & Technology Officer, Mohammed Hareb AlMheiri, echoed the significance of the rollout.
“We always look for opportunities to harness the latest technologies that support our growth and operational efficiencies. With the introduction of these biometric smart gates, this marks another step towards fostering a more seamless, punctual, and secure operation as we future-proof our systems.”
Six biometric gates have now been installed at the airline’s crew reporting centre, allowing crew members to bypass traditional immigration checks before heading to their flights. The move comes as part of the carrier’s investment in improving the daily experience of frontline teams, particularly during peak travel periods.
The upgrade is timely as flydubai continues to scale its global presence. The airline now operates a fleet of 89 aircraft serving over 135 destinations, with a team of more than 6,400 employees, including over 1,300 pilots and 2,500 cabin crew.
As the aviation sector increasingly looks to automation and digital tools to enhance efficiency, flydubai’s partnership with emaratech represents a notable step in the adoption of smart border technologies in the region.
The airline says it plans to build further on this partnership with future tech-driven initiatives aimed at enhancing the travel experience for both passengers and crew.
