Saudi Arabia has launched the first phase of E-gates at a major airport, signalling a move towards digitalising travel and improving passenger experiences.
This step, initiated at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, is praised by industry experts for incorporating biometric e-passport scanners to simplify travel processes.
The Saudi General Directorate of Passports introduced the service on Tuesday, with Lt-Gen. Sulaiman Al Yahya, the Directorate’s Chief, explained that the E-gates are designed to speed up processes using biometric data from passports.
Lt-Gen. Al Yahya highlighted during the launch event covered by the Saudi news agency SPA, that the E-gates are set to transform travel by offering smart and efficient digital solutions for citizens, expats, and visitors, enhancing passport service standards.
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Furthermore, Abdulaziz Al Duailej, the head of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), emphasized the importance of this new feature in international departure halls 3 and 4, which supports the goals of Saudi Arabia’s national aviation strategy and the aviation sector’s ambitions.
With efforts to diversify its economy, Saudi Arabia is making significant changes in the aviation industry and modifying its visa policies to support its goal of attracting 330 million air travelers annually by 2030.
