This airport will soon be able to automatically ID passengers using controversial new tech

Aug 8, 2024

This airport will soon be able to automatically ID passengers using controversial new tech

Aug 8, 2024

Face it — times are changing.

Facial recognition technology will soon be enabled at every security checkpoint inside Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport — a global first, CNN reported.

The Smart Travel project, currently being implemented inside the futuristic flight hub serving the capital of the wealthy United Arab Emirates, will replace the traditional screening process — and the whipping out of travel documents, like a passport or ID card.


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The capability will reportedly also be implemented at duty-free shops, lounges and boarding gates as well.

The goal is to have the biometric concept — which has courted controversy in the United States — fully running in 2025 at nine locations.

Some parts of the airport have already incorporated the tech, as has Etihad Airways, Abu Dhabi’s hometown carrier.

“It’s designed with no pre-enrollment required, passengers are automatically recognized and authenticated as they move through the airport, significantly speeding up the entire process,” said the airport’s chief information officer Andrew Murphy.

He bragged about its traffic-altering capabilities.

“People are reporting going from the curb into the retail area or to the gate in less than 15 minutes,” the spokesperson stated.

“To be able to move through an airport of that size in just a matter of minutes is really groundbreaking,” he added.

Last year, a survey from the International Air Transport Association found that 75% of surveyed passengers supported the initiative to move towards biometric identification.

In the U.S., where the TSA announced a planned rollout in more than 400 American airports, backlash over the concept has largely been related to privacy concerns.

“The TSA program is a precursor to a full-blown national surveillance state,” Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley.

About the Author

End Time Headlines is a ministry founded, owned, and operated by Ricky Scaparo, established in 2010 to equip believers and inform discerning individuals about the “Signs and Seasons” of the times in which we live. Ricky authors original articles and curates news from mainstream sources, carefully selecting topics, verifying information, and utilizing artificial intelligence tools to ensure content is both timely and accurate. Every piece is personally reviewed and edited by Ricky to align with the ministry’s mission of providing a prophetic perspective on current events.

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