Biometric travel infrastructure scales from London to Dubai

Governments and airports worldwide are expanding biometric passenger processing, digital travel authorization and reusable identity systems as rising air traffic pushes the aviation sector toward more automated and contactless travel infrastructure.

The shift was a major theme at the three-day Passenger Terminal Expo (PTE) World event, where airports, airlines and technology providers highlighted efforts to connect biometric corridors and digital identity systems across travel touchpoints.

UK to expand e-gates use for children in time for summer holidays

The UK is expanding biometric e-gate access to children, with contactless border checks using face biometrics to verify identity. The change will come just as British families prepare for their summer getaways.

The UK Home Office has announced that children aged eight and nine, who are above 120cm tall (3ft 11in) and accompanied by an adult, will be eligible for the e-gates. “Travel with young children can be stressful for parents,” says Mike Tapp, UK minister for migration and citizenship.

The UK’s expansion of e-gate eligibility reflects a broader push to automate border processing for larger portions of the traveling public.

“By expanding eGate access, more families can experience a swifter and smoother journey home – freeing up precious time this summer holiday season.”

The broadened access will begin from July 8 covering over 290 e-gates in the UK and other relevant ports, such as those border checks that take place in Europe. An estimated 1.5 million more children will be able to pass through e-gates, according to 2025 UK arrival figures.

“This is a welcome development as it will give more families the ability to take advantage of this technology, speeding up the border process and reducing waiting times for many,” says Karen Dee, chief executive of AirportsUK.

Taipei Songshan gets in on One ID face biometrics

The Taipei Songshan Airport in Taipei, Taiwan now offers One ID face biometrics for international flights. One ID biometrics is supplied by SITA.

Taipei Songshan Airport has enabled 18 One ID self-check-in kiosks, with 12 kiosks for self-checking luggage and six for the e-gate immigration system, and a further two at each of the six international departure gates, according to the airport’s director Cheng Chien-chung.

Although passengers still have to pass through standard immigration and passport inspection checks, the One ID implementation is hoped to reduce waiting times for passengers, the director said.

The rollout aligns with IATA’s broader One ID initiative, which aims to create interoperable digital identity systems across airlines, airports and border authorities.

Passengers can complete One ID registration at a check-in desk or a self-check-in kiosk. Passenger and flight details are deleted from the One ID system within 24 hours of a traveller’s departure, Cheng said.

The deployment reflects broader industry efforts to create reusable biometric identities that can move passengers through multiple airport touchpoints without repeated document checks.

Japan wants tourists to spend less time in airports with JESTA

Japan is breaking ground as it digitally transforms its travel immigration system. Japan is establishing the Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization (JESTA), according to Travel and Tour World (TTW).

International travellers with visa-free entry status to Japan should be able to make use of JESTA with the digital authorization aimed at speeding up immigration processes. The new system is expected to launch by 2028.

Travelers will need to fill in their passport details, travel plans and the purpose of their visit with the digital authorization, if granted, enabling visitors to forgo manual checks. The system will use QR codes or “other digital confirmation,” TTW reports.

Japan’s arrivals have surged with the country welcoming 42.7 million visitors in 2025 and the government is aiming for 60 million annual visitors by 2030. The introduction of JESTA will see travellers providing details before their arrival so they can spend less time at the airport. NEC provides biometric gates to Japan’s largest airports.

JESTA mirrors electronic travel authorization systems adopted by countries including the U.S., UK and EU, as governments increasingly shift identity and risk assessment earlier into the travel journey.

Dubai wins innovation award for its biometric corridor

Dubai continues to position itself as a leader in biometric passenger processing through its “Red Carpet” smart corridor initiative.

GDRFA’s Dubai Red Carpet smart corridor has marked its one-year anniversary and won the Distinguished Innovation by Public Sector award at the GDI Awards 2025, presented by the Global Innovation Institute (GInI).

Implemented by the UAE’s emaratech and powered by Paravision’s biometrics, the Dubai Red Carpet smart corridor sees clearance taking between four and 14 seconds. The corridor can process up to 10 passengers simultaneously.

The system is designed to verify travellers in motion, with the Dubai Red Carpet smart corridor developed by GDRFA in partnership with Dubai Airports, and installed at Terminal 3’s Business Class departures at Dubai International Airport.

Passengers must register once, linking their passport to a biometric photograph at an airport counter. Once completed, every departure is automated. Additional installations are being developed for arrivals and terminals at Dubai International Airport.

Taken together, the deployments reflect a broader industry shift toward persistent digital travel identities that can be reused across airlines, airports and border systems, reducing reliance on repeated document presentation and manual inspection.

As passenger volumes continue rising globally, governments and airports are increasingly treating biometric identity infrastructure as essential to scaling border control and passenger processing without expanding physical staffing and checkpoint capacity.

Article Topics

ABC gates  |  airport biometrics  |  biometric corridor  |  biometrics  |  digital travel  |  International Air Transport Association  |  NEC  |  One ID  |  Paravision  |  SITA