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 affluent United Arab Emirates, will replace the traditional process of checking in – and removing – travel documents such as passports or identity cards.
The capability will also reportedly be implemented in duty-free shops, lounges and boarding gates.
The aim is to have the biometric concept – which has caused controversy in the United States – fully operational by 2025 at nine locations. Some parts of the airport have already incorporated the technology, as has Etihad Airways, Abu Dhabi’s city carrier.
“Designed without requiring pre-registration, passengers are automatically recognized and authenticated as they move through the airport, significantly speeding up the entire process,” said airport chief information officer Andrew Murphy.
He boasted of his abilities to change traffic.
“People are reporting getting from the curb to the retail area or to the gate in less than 15 minutes,” the spokesman said.
“To be able to move through an airport of that size in just a few minutes is truly groundbreaking,” he added.
Last year, a survey by the International Air Transport Association found that 75% of passengers surveyed supported the initiative to move towards biometric identification.
In the US, where the TSA announced a planned rollout to more than 400 US airports, reaction to the concept has largely been linked to privacy concerns.
“The TSA program is a precursor to a full national surveillance state,” Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley.
“Nothing could be more damaging to our national values of privacy and freedom. No government should be trusted with this power.”
In Abu Dhabi, people are said to still be able to opt for traditional scans.
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