Oman Airports launches new e-gate system at Muscat International Airport

Muscat: Oman Airports has recently launched the new e-gate system at Muscat International Airport. The new e-gate system aims to speed up passport verification for both departing and arriving passengers at Muscat International Airport.

Main features of the project include:

Accelerated travel for passengers.

Electronic Transformation: This project aligns with Oman Vision 2040 and the broader goal of digital transformation within the airport. 

Self Service: Passengers can complete travel procedures without human intervention, reducing wait times and improving overall travel experience. 

Biometric Verification: The system uses facial recognition and fingerprint matching for enhanced security and efficiency.

Increased Capacity: The initial installation includes 6 e-gates for departures and 12 for arrivals, capable of handling over 1,000 passengers per hour in departures and 24,000 per day in arrivals.  

Future Expansion: Oman Airports plans to increase the number of e-gates to accommodate growing passenger traffic. 

Sheikh Ayman bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Hosni, CEO of Oman Airports, said that this innovative system is one of the quick solutions to complete travel procedures without human intervention, noting that the aim of the project is to provide a fast and safe self-service for the traveler to cross the borders and record travel data, with the least possible intervention from security personnel, so that the process ensures smooth and speedy movement of passengers and reduces the time taken to complete the process.

Al Hosni stressed that the new electronic gates will speed up the process of verifying travel documents and comparing them with the biometric fingerprints of arriving and departing passengers, by taking the facial print of the traveller and matching it with the biometric fingerprint registered in the Royal Oman Police system, in an automated and self-service manner, taking into account all the possibilities that must be verified so that all security factors related to the traveler are verified in databases and other security systems.

Muscat International Airport was ranked first globally in performance criteria for 2023 and has seen significant passenger growth, and the new e-gate system is a major step forward in enhancing passenger experience and efficiency.