E-Paper
Sign In
How Dubai sets global aviation standard with travel tech, airport experience
Emirates Airline President Sir Tim Clark contrasted this with the European Union’s late adoption of similar systems, describing the EU’s recent digitisation efforts as overdue
- PUBLISHED: Wed 4 Feb 2026, 5:02 PM UPDATED: Wed 4 Feb 2026, 11:25 PM
Dubai’s airports are setting a new global benchmark for the future of aviation with advanced biometric systems and seamless travel technology, according to Emirates Airline President Sir Tim Clark.
During a discussion on the next steps for “Aviation 2.0,” Sir Tim lauded Dubai’s leadership in creating a contactless journey for passengers, highlighting a significant gap between the emirate’s progress and the slower adoption of such aviation technology in other parts of the world.
Recommended For You
Speaking alongside Toshiyuki Onuma, President of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) at a session titled “What is the next destination for Aviation” at the World Government Summit, the two leaders explored the critical crossroads facing the sector, from regulatory hurdles to the disruptive impact of commercial space launches.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
Dubai’s contactless travel vision
Sir Tim Clark highlighted Dubai’s pioneering role in creating a frictionless airport experience, noting that the emirate has been successfully implementing advanced biometric and contactless systems for years.
“We’ve been trying it here in Dubai for years now and we’re advancing the pace so we can take people through and out of Dubai and into Dubai without any kind of physical interdiction at all,” he stated.
He contrasted this with the European Union’s late adoption of similar systems, describing the EU’s recent digitisation efforts as overdue. “It’s something that should have been done a long time ago. The technology has been there for a long time,” Sir Tim said.
He noted that countries like the United Kingdom and the United States have been implementing such systems for some time, but the EU’s approach has created unnecessary delays. The primary challenge, he explained, is not technological capability but rather the lack of harmonised ground systems and differing national agendas among member states.
Commercial space
One of the most pressing concerns raised during the discussion was the impact of commercial space launches on civil aviation. Sir Tim Clark pointed to recent incidents where private space companies, particularly SpaceX, have disrupted air traffic when launches went awry.
“Every time one of these things goes wrong, even though there’s, thank God, no loss, it can completely screw up civil aviation hundreds of thousands of miles,” he said.
Onuma acknowledged the challenge, emphasizing the need for careful examination of emerging technologies and their potential impacts. “We need to secure the appropriate observation and judgment of the forecast and the possibility of this kind of technology,” he said, adding that stakeholders often present biased views that must be balanced with objective analysis.
While both leaders agreed that the industry should not impede the growth of commercial space ventures, they stressed the importance of coordination.
Sir Tim noted that as more companies like Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin expand into low Earth orbit satellite operations, the potential for airspace conflicts will increase.
However, he expressed confidence that existing air traffic control technology can manage these challenges if properly coordinated across international boundaries.
Airspace management
The panel addressed the urgent need for airspace modernisation, particularly in congested regions. Sir Tim Clark praised the Middle East for its rapid advancement in airspace management systems, describing the region’s progress as “Herculean” compared to other parts of the world.
“In the Middle East, actually, they’ve advanced their systems really, really rapidly to deal with what is happening in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates and everywhere else,” he said.
He contrasted this with Europe, where he argued that a fundamental rethink of airspace management is needed to reduce congestion and improve efficiency.
The challenge, according to both speakers, lies in coordinating multiple stakeholders with different priorities across national boundaries.
Ruqayya Alqaydi is a Special Correspondent with an endless curiosity to learn. Like a journalist on a caffeine overdrive, she is fuelled by passion and on a mission to uncover every gem in the UAE.