Latest news with #passengerexperience
Arabian Business
18 hours ago
- Business
- Arabian Business
UAE airports slash check-in to departure times to just 12 minutes with facial recognition and AI
Airports in the UAE are using biometric technology, facial recognition and advanced AI to enhance passenger journeys and cut down waiting times. Selim Bouri, President for the Middle East and Africa (MEA) at airport technology company SITA, said airports in the UAE, particularly those in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, have established new global benchmarks in innovation, efficiency and passenger experience. He noted the country's clear commitment to digitalisation and the adoption of cutting-edge technologies, particularly in light of the increasing challenge of managing growing passenger volumes. UAE airport technology Bouri explained that SITA works closely with UAE airports to understand their unique needs and opportunities, providing tailored technology solutions, pointing to the implementation of the Smart Travel system at Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi—a fully integrated platform for biometric identity processing. This system, he noted, reduces congestion and waiting times while enhancing airport capacity to handle the rising number of international flights. Zayed International Airport experienced strong growth in flight traffic in 2024, making it essential to adopt digital solutions to meet this surge. Bouri described the airport's experience as a testament to the value of advanced biometric processing, highlighting that since the opening of its new terminal in November 2023, the airport has processed more than one million passengers using facial recognition. This has created a unique digital identity for each traveller, enabling a seamless journey from check-in to departure, including border control, in under 12 minutes. The success of the Smart Travel system at Zayed International Airport, he added, paves the way for its adoption at other airports across the UAE. On future technologies passengers can expect at UAE airports, Bouri said that the country's travel experience is increasingly powered by smart solutions that provide efficiency and convenience. He revealed plans to expand biometric processing across airport checkpoints, delivering a fully contactless passenger experience. Self-service technologies, he said, will be a core focus area in the coming years. These include self-check-in kiosks, automated baggage-drop services, and smart boarding gates, all aimed at reducing congestion and streamlining travel procedures. Cybersecurity also remains a top priority within the UAE's airport digital strategies. Bouri emphasised that smart innovations will play a key role in boosting efficiency, minimising waiting times, enhancing safety and reinforcing the UAE's status as a leader in smart, integrated airport systems. He added that the coming decade will witness a significant increase in the deployment of next-generation communication technologies within airports. This will create a highly integrated smart airport ecosystem and flight operation network. Bouri discussed the impact of 5G networks on enabling seamless device-to-device communication, benefitting passengers, systems and operations through improved ground connectivity. He also pointed to future support for sixth-generation network technologies and advanced wireless internet services. Airports, airlines and governments in the Middle East, known for their leadership in innovation, are investing heavily in the latest technologies to enhance passenger experience and streamline airport operations. These include biometric processing systems and e-gates backed by strategic initiatives and major investments. Addressing the role of artificial intelligence and big data in improving flight management and reducing delays, Bouri explained that although airports, airlines and partners generate vast amounts of data, it is not always fully understood or leveraged. Over the next decade, he said, future-ready airports will increasingly rely on big data, predictive analytics and advanced platforms to achieve peak operational efficiency. The growing role of AI and robotics, he clarified, does not eliminate the human factor but rather fosters smart collaboration between people and technology. Bouri concluded that the next decade will see AI extend to more sectors, including: Enhancing flight scheduling Personalised communication with passengers Operations centre support Predictive maintenance Multilingual assistance Automated baggage handling Reduced fuel consumption for autonomous vehicles
The Independent
a day ago
- General
- The Independent
Passengers left sweltering in British Airways plane on Dubai runway after AC malfunctioned
Passengers on a British Airways flight were left sweltering inside the cabin for two hours after the air conditioning failed before takeoff in Dubai. Flight BA104 was set to fly seven hours from Dubai International Airport on Saturday, 24 May, to London Heathrow. However, before takeoff, the Boeing 787 experienced an auxiliary power unit (APU) failure, which prevented the cabin airflow and cooling systems from working properly, travel blog Paddle Your Own Kanoo reported. APUs are small devices that work as power sources for the aircraft, which are used mostly on the ground while the main engines are inactive. Usually, ground equipment can be used instead of a faulty APU, and once the engines start, the cooling systems would resume. The aircraft, therefore, decided to push back from the gate and begin taxiing, but it stopped while making its way to the runway because a cockpit warning light signalled. With the gate now occupied by the next scheduled plane, it was diverted to a cargo area, leaving passengers stuck in stuffy conditions in the cabin. A post from a passenger on a Facebook complaints forum, which now appears to be deleted, described passengers suffering from the high temperatures inside the cabin. She said that babies had to be stripped down to their nappies to try and cool them down, and she was worried for her own health due to having high blood pressure, dealing with the heat and the stress. The passenger also said flight attendants handed out one cup of water each, but the doors remained closed without air conditioning as engineers continued to work. 'We baked inside the plane for 2 hours as engineers worked on the flight deck,' she claimed, according to Paddle Your Own Kanoo. 'The plane got hotter and hotter and recorded 47 degrees.' In a statement, a British Airways spokesperson said: 'We thank our customers for their patience while we resolved a technical issue with the aircraft. 'Our crew provided water to customers on board and worked hard to ensure our customers remained as comfortable as possible whilst we resolved the issue.' This is not the first time passengers have had to deal with soaring cabin temperatures inside planes. In July 2024, dozens of Qatar Airways passengers endured an heatwave in Greece while stuck inside for three hours on the tarmac without air conditioning. The extreme temperature inside the flight caused nosebleeds in travellers, while some had to rely on oxygen masks. That same month, passengers were also without air conditioning during a two-hour flight delay. It took one passenger to faint for the staff to allow passengers off the plane and back to the gate.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Passengers left roasting on Dubai runway as ‘baking' British Airways plane malfunctioned
Passengers on a British Airways flight were left sweltering inside the cabin for two hours after the air conditioning failed before takeoff in Dubai. Flight BA104 was set to fly seven hours from Dubai International Airport on Saturday, 24 May, to London Heathrow. However, before takeoff, the Boeing 787 experienced an auxiliary power unit (APU) failure, which prevented the cabin airflow and cooling systems from working properly, travel blog Paddle Your Own Kanoo reported. APUs are small devices that work as power sources for the aircraft, which are used mostly on the ground while the main engines are inactive. Usually, ground equipment can be used instead of a faulty APU, and once the engines start, the cooling systems would resume. The aircraft, therefore, decided to push back from the gate and begin taxiing, but it stopped while making its way to the runway because a cockpit warning light signalled. With the gate now occupied by the next scheduled plane, it was diverted to a cargo area, leaving passengers stuck in stuffy conditions in the cabin. A post from a passenger on a Facebook complaints forum, which now appears to be deleted, described passengers suffering from the high temperatures inside the cabin. She said that babies had to be stripped down to their nappies to try and cool them down, and she was worried for her own health due to having high blood pressure, dealing with the heat and the stress. The passenger also said flight attendants handed out one cup of water each, but the doors remained closed without air conditioning as engineers continued to work. 'We baked inside the plane for 2 hours as engineers worked on the flight deck,' she claimed, according to Paddle Your Own Kanoo. 'The plane got hotter and hotter and recorded 47 degrees.' In a statement, a British Airways spokesperson said: 'We thank our customers for their patience while we resolved a technical issue with the aircraft. 'Our crew provided water to customers on board and worked hard to ensure our customers remained as comfortable as possible whilst we resolved the issue.' This is not the first time passengers have had to deal with soaring cabin temperatures inside planes. In July 2024, dozens of Qatar Airways passengers endured an heatwave in Greece while stuck inside for three hours on the tarmac without air conditioning. The extreme temperature inside the flight caused nosebleeds in travellers, while some had to rely on oxygen masks. That same month, passengers were also left sweltering inside a Juneyao Airlines plane without air conditioning during a two-hour flight delay. It took one passenger to faint for the staff to allow passengers off the plane and back to the gate.
The Independent
a day ago
- Business
- The Independent
Passengers left roasting on Dubai runway as ‘baking' British Airways plane malfunctioned
Passengers on a British Airways flight were left sweltering inside the cabin for two hours after the air conditioning failed before takeoff in Dubai. Flight BA104 was set to fly seven hours from Dubai International Airport on Saturday, 24 May, to London Heathrow. However, before takeoff, the Boeing 787 experienced an auxiliary power unit (APU) failure, which prevented the cabin airflow and cooling systems from working properly, travel blog Paddle Your Own Kanoo reported. APUs are small devices that work as power sources for the aircraft, which are used mostly on the ground while the main engines are inactive. Usually, ground equipment can be used instead of a faulty APU, and once the engines start, the cooling systems would resume. The aircraft, therefore, decided to push back from the gate and begin taxiing, but it stopped while making its way to the runway because a cockpit warning light signalled. With the gate now occupied by the next scheduled plane, it was diverted to a cargo area, leaving passengers stuck in stuffy conditions in the cabin. A post from a passenger on a Facebook complaints forum, which now appears to be deleted, described passengers suffering from the high temperatures inside the cabin. She said that babies had to be stripped down to their nappies to try and cool them down, and she was worried for her own health due to having high blood pressure, dealing with the heat and the stress. The passenger also said flight attendants handed out one cup of water each, but the doors remained closed without air conditioning as engineers continued to work. 'We baked inside the plane for 2 hours as engineers worked on the flight deck,' she claimed, according to Paddle Your Own Kanoo. 'The plane got hotter and hotter and recorded 47 degrees.' In a statement, a British Airways spokesperson said: 'We thank our customers for their patience while we resolved a technical issue with the aircraft. 'Our crew provided water to customers on board and worked hard to ensure our customers remained as comfortable as possible whilst we resolved the issue.' This is not the first time passengers have had to deal with soaring cabin temperatures inside planes. In July 2024, dozens of Qatar Airways passengers endured an heatwave in Greece while stuck inside for three hours on the tarmac without air conditioning. The extreme temperature inside the flight caused nosebleeds in travellers, while some had to rely on oxygen masks. That same month, passengers were also without air conditioning during a two-hour flight delay. It took one passenger to faint for the staff to allow passengers off the plane and back to the gate.
Arab News
4 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
Matarat Holding taps Thales to modernize Saudi airports
Matarat Holding has signed an MoU with Thales, a global leader in advanced technologies. This strategic partnership, signed at Passenger Terminal Expo in Madrid, Spain, seeks to drive innovation, operational efficiency, and improved passenger experience through digital solutions and collaborative technological advancements. Matarat Holding manages the operations of 27 airports in Saudi Arabia through its subsidiaries (Riyadh Airports, Jeddah Airports, Dammam Airports, and Cluster 2), and the MoU establishes a comprehensive framework for cooperation across multiple strategic areas of aviation development. Through this partnership, Thales will implement its expertise in smart technologies to modernize airport operations and management, driving digital transformation across Matarat's subsidiaries. The collaboration will focus on sharing innovation and best practices to enhance service quality, streamline operational processes, and adopt future-ready solutions that will set new industry standards. A key priority of the agreement is enhancing the traveler experience by leveraging Thales' advanced capabilities in AI, biometrics, automation, and data-driven systems to create seamless and secure passenger journeys. The partnership will also enable the implementation of advanced digital platforms and next-generation infrastructure in Matarat airports. Bernard Roux, CEO of Thales in Saudi Arabia and Central Asia, said: 'This collaboration with Matarat Holding represents a transformative step in reshaping the future of Saudi aviation. By combining Thales' expertise in digital transformation with Matarat's operational excellence, we are not just implementing technologies — we are co-creating a smart and safe aviation ecosystem. Our joint solutions in AI, cybersecurity and connected systems will set new benchmarks for operational efficiency, enhanced passenger experience, and national security, directly contributing to the Kingdom's Vision 2030 ambitions to become a global aviation leader.'
