The Ministry of Interior (MOI) announced that 2,426,470 travellers used the electronic gates (e-gate) during their travel through Hamad International Airport (HIA) during 2017, as opposed to one million and 41 thousand travellers in 2016.
This is a major development in the demand for this service, which comes within the framework of advanced and modern services provided by the ministry through the Airport Passports Department.
In 2017, the e-gates at HIA recorded about 1,280,564 passengers who used these gates as they entered the country and around 181,906 travellers who used the gates as they left the country.
The Airport Passports Department has set up a counter next to the e-gates to facilitate procedures for passengers who found difficulties upon the use of e-gates after increasing the demand of passengers on this service.
Head of Airport Passports Section at the department, Major Khalid Mohammed Al Mulla said the e-gate services provided by the MOI to all citizens and residents are free of charges, which made it one of the most important stages of development and upgraded services provided by the ministry through HIA, which primarily aims to save the time and effort of travellers and avoid waiting at the queues of the passport control counters.
He added that HIA currently provides 40 e-gates, including 19 in the arrivals hall and 21 in the departures hall, all of which facilitate the entry and exit of passengers and citizens smoothly, either at the departure (to or from) based on biometric audit of passenger data (fingerprint and handprint) and personal travel documents. He pointed out that all paths leading to the e-gates have guidance boards and staff from the Airport Security and Passports Department and HIA to guide travellers to the gates, in addition the design of the airport placed the gates in parallel to the passport counters, making it clear to all passengers.
He also pointed to the simplicity of using the e-gates, which is completed by the traveller entering the gate and then providing the travel document, ID or passport. The gate then instructs the traveller on the steps that must be carried out according to the language of the document submitted, in order to ease the procedure.
He explained that the system of e-gates at HIA has been commended by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as a model portal and unique experience. Al Mulla added that MOI is working on increasing its presence in the airport to meet the aspirations of travellers of adopting smart technology to complete their travel within HIA by confirming their vital data through the shipment of baggage, onto the e-gates, then finally boarding the flights. This will all be completed without the need to refer to any employee, in a project to transform HIA into a smart airport by introducing a self-registration system for passengers and luggage.
He pointed out that the Airport Passport Department opened an office next to the e-gates to activate and add the gate system service by means of a personal identification card to residents and their children of over 18 years of age. He also explained that the use of the ID card does not require prior registration or fees payment, however the traveller needs a valid ID.
He also revealed the ongoing work for the inauguration of 20 new e-gates, including 10 gates in the departure terminal and 10 gates at the arrivals hall.
Al Mulla called on the resident travellers to use the e-gates in HIA to ease and speed up their travel process, without the need to stand in counter queues to confirm their personal information and stamping their passports. He confirmed that this can all be done through the e-gates quickly and in a private, safe and secure environment. (QNA)