Dubai to ease procedures for light travelers

By Alimat Aliyeva

Dubai Airports is exploring the possibility of eliminating the check-in process for passengers traveling with hand luggage only, Azernews reports.

According to Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, this move could significantly reduce the time passengers spend completing airport procedures and help ease queues at terminals. He emphasized that modern technologies now allow many steps—such as baggage tagging and check-in—to be streamlined, saving travelers valuable time.

Griffiths also highlighted that simplifying airport processes would enable the facility to handle more passengers without the need to expand terminal space.

Earlier, the airport introduced the so-called "red corridor" in Terminal 3, a smart passage that allows up to 10 passengers to pass through security simultaneously using facial recognition technology—without presenting a passport or boarding pass.

Currently, the system is available for business class travelers, but there are plans to extend it to other passenger categories in the future. This initiative is part of Dubai’s broader digital transformation strategy, aimed at making its airports among the most technologically advanced and passenger-friendly in the world.

If fully implemented, bypassing traditional check-in for hand-luggage travelers could set a global trend, turning Dubai Airports into a benchmark for ultra-efficient, high-tech travel experiences—potentially reshaping how airports operate worldwide.