Emirates airlines introduce a check-in robot announcing “we’ll be taking it to a step higher”
Last week, Emirates airlines, one of two flag carriers of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced it is set to introduce over 200 multilingual robots to improve check-in services for their passengers. These check-in robots are AI-enabled and will help the airline to efficiently process high levels of passengers, avoiding bottlenecks at the airport with the user-friendly, guided machines.
Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer said:
“We are the first airline globally that has introduced or plans to introduce portable check-in robotics. We will be the first one to use a robot that can complete all check-in processes, including issuing a boarding pass that will be sent to your registered number or email, and facial recognition by scanning your passport. […] You will go through the passport control and then go through the gates or the lounges without having to show you documentation again.”
Emirates’ check-in robot on display at the airline’s aviation innovation event ForsaTEK. Image credit: Deena Kamel / The National
Offering assistance in a minimum of six different languages, the technology is just one product of Emirates’ investment in tech and innovation. This AI-enabled technology will facilitate a seamless experience for passengers, but this is only the beginning.
Emirates’ COO explained:
“We will be improving it and taking it to a higher level where it will be able to link with immigration to establish whether you have the right permission to enter the country, whether you have got the right visa, give you a hotel booking confirmation, or book a hotel.”
Rolling out initially at Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport, the first robots will be seen in the next few months and will increase in number over the coming years.
Article by Jess Brownlow
