Ten more e-Gates for quicker arrivals and departures at Terminal 1

Installed at an investment of AED3.5 million, the electronic gates take 30 seconds to process one passenger. More reliable and advanced than the machines installed in the first phase, the new machines will be a major convenience for passengers and reduce congestion at the manual immigration counters, Mohammed Bin Ahmed Al Tayer, Director of Aviation Unit at DCA said.

Al Tayer described the expansion of UAE-Gate as a part of the DCA's and DNRD's join plan to speed up passenger processing while not compromising on issues of security. "Passengers will feel a major difference as the number of electronic gates increase; this in turn will further popularise the UAE-Gate card. I am sure it will take the hassle out of travel for passengers," Al Tayer noted.

He said that considering the increasing popularity of the UAE-Gate among passengers, the DCA and DNRD will be required to double the number of gates in the near future. "The collaboration and unity between various departments is the key to the success of this project; it is Dubai's hallmark in general," Al Tayer pointed out.

Colonel Salah bin Suloom, Assistant Director, Air and Land Entry Points at DNRD (Dubai Airport) said, "Our systems and work are recognised across the Middle East and are considered one of the best worldwide; the challenges we face are much more complex than in most parts of the world - especially if you consider that we handle as many as 20 types of visas." He noted that the future will amplify the task at hand with the number of passengers growing annually. "We have to be ready in every way possible; through inducting new technology and training and preparing staff for the job ahead," he added.

He noted that there are some 900 DNRD staff at the airport today, and this figure will rise to 2,200 when the new expansions (Terminal 3, Concourse 2 and Concourse 3) are operational.

There are some 450,000 UAE Gate card holders in Dubai, and an estimated 9,000 use it at Dubai International Airport daily.