flydubai rolls out new smart gates: Who can benefit from the upgrade?
Six smart gates enable paperless travel for pilots and cabin crew
DUBAI: flydubai has announced a partnership with emaratech, a leading UAE technology firm, to introduce smart biometric gates at its Airport Operations Centre.
The gates are designed to simplify immigration procedures for the airline’s pilots and cabin crew by utilising AI-powered facial recognition and real-time data integration.
This innovative step reflects flydubai’s ongoing investment in technology that boosts operational efficiency and supports its expanding global footprint. The biometric smart gates are now fully operational, offering a paperless and faster verification process for flight crews reporting for duty.
Frictionless travel
The new system connects directly to both flydubai’s and immigration authorities’ platforms, allowing real-time identity validation and streamlining immigration for crew. The project includes six smart gates now in place at the Airport Operations Centre, where flight staff begin their shifts.
Thani Alzaffin, Group CEO of emaratech, highlighted the frictionless travel benefits enabled by the gates, calling it a next-generation solution that redefines border control. He said the integration marks a major move towards secure, AI-driven verification that enhances trust at every checkpoint.
Operational support
Mohammed Hareb AlMheiri, Chief Procurement and Technology Officer at flydubai, said the deployment supports the airline’s focus on punctuality and system resilience. The technology is expected to enhance daily crew movement, particularly during peak travel periods.
flydubai currently operates to over 135 destinations with a fleet of 89 aircraft. The airline’s workforce has grown to more than 6,400 employees, including over 1,300 pilots and 2,500 cabin crew.