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Dubai set to launch SPT along with London, HK

DUBAI — Dubai along with London and Hong Kong will join SITA’s new Simplifying Passenger Travel (SPT) initiative, which will link e-gates at all three locations for smooth flow of the passenger traffic, according to a senior SITA official.

Matthew Finn, portfolio manager, transportation security solutions, SITA, told Khaleej Times that the SPT initiative airports in all three locations would undergo testing for six months, after which the initiative would be extended to other airports around the world.

He said: “The SPT is ideal process flow, including processing of passengers’ documentation. Once the trial is successful, we will also add baggage processing and will be recommending this initiative internationally by 2007.”

He also said that SPT would not only simplify the passenger flow, but also contribute to security solutions of air transportation and manage risk. “The challenge is to simplify passenger travel for the vast majority, while ensuring effective, accurate and timely response to criminal and higher risk solutions,” he said.

Airlines collect a great deal of information as part of their standard booking and check-in processes, including payment, ticketing, full itinerary (past and future), contact data, accompanying passengers, baggage, seating and others, he explained.

This data is useful for risk assessment and can be used to detect higher risk passengers, suspicious routes or behaviour, although booking data usually lacks ID information because passport and visa are not provided at time of booking, but only at check-in, he added.

The UAE is the first country to launch e-gate in six international airports. While e-gate facilities at Abu Dhabi International Airport were inaugurated in February, plans have also been announced for all UAE international airports to be equipped with e-gate before the end of this year.