Smart Gates let you breeze through SHJ
Breeze through Sharjah Smart Gates in 20 secs sharjah — More than 850,000 citizens have been able to beat the dreaded airport queues at passport control in just 20 seconds, thanks to 16 Smart Gates placed at Sharjah Airport in October 2016.
With eight Smart Gates positioned in the departures terminal and eight at arrivals, Ali Salem Al Midfa, chairman of the Sharjah Airport Authority, said the new addition to the airport has proved to be a great success. However, even though passengers can complete the simple walk-through in just 20 seconds, some still had to be encouraged to avail of the service.
Passengers can register for the smart gate access at immigration centres and at the registration office at departure and arrival terminals, following completion of an eye scan. But for those travelling with children under the age of seven, or without a machine-readable passport, the standard passport counters can still be used.
sharjah — A total of 16 Smart Gates launched at the Sharjah International Airport in October 2016 has enabled 850,000 citizens and residents avail of quick passport control services.
Ali Salem Al Midfa, chairman of the Sharjah Airport Authority, said the service has proved to be “a great success”, but people still had to be encouraged to use it in order to reduce the queues at passport control for entry and exit.
Eight Smart Gates operate at the departure terminal and eight at arrivals. Passengers can use the system through their passport at both arrivals and departures. Passengers registering in Abu Dhabi can also use the smart gates in Sharjah easily.
Passengers are welcome to register at immigration centres and at the registration office at departures and arrivals after completing an eye scan. If they do not have a machine-readable passport or are travelling with children aged under seven, the standard passport counters can be used.
Al Midfa held a Press conference to launch an awareness campaign to introduce the Smart Gate services to travelers. Running till the end of July, it aims to provide travellers with information on how to register and use the Smart Gates, highlighting its time saving nature that “lets them enjoy the travel experience”.
The gates, installed in collaboration with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Sharjah, have been praised since they were first made operational last year.
Al Midfa added that the Smart Gates use a highly efficient, quick and accurate system that reads and scans passport information, capturing biometric data using a high-accuracy camera and then comparing the information with passenger details saved in the system.
In the last nine months, the Smart Gates have helped speed up the procedures, cut waiting time and reduce congestion. “The Smart Gates have proven to reduce the passenger rush during peak hours, ensuring a smooth travel experience; passengers are now able to complete passport control within 20 seconds.
“This facility is part of the airport’s strategy which focuses on making travel easier for all passengers by providing the best internationally recognised services,” Al Midfa stated. The Smart Gates are also part of a series of development projects at the airport to address the increasing growth in passenger numbers, “a result of the incoming tourist flow and business activities in the emirate”.
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com
The Smart Gates have proven to reduce the passenger rush during peak hours, ensuring a smooth travel experience.”