The deal was signed on October 6 at Zayed International Airport by Elena Sorlini, Managing Director and CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports, and Mohammed Al Kuwaiti, Acting Director General of Ports at ICP. Under the MoU, both organisations will deepen coordination in key areas including border control, customs facilitation, emergency response, training and optimisation of service standards.
A central innovation under the partnership is the “Smart Travel” system, which leverages biometric verification and smart gate technology to enable passengers to clear immigration in as little as seven seconds. This underpins the ambitious goal of enabling arriving travellers to exit the airport and reach their onward transport within 12 minutes.
Abu Dhabi Airports has recorded strong growth in passenger traffic, with volumes rising by 44.5 percent in 2023 followed by 28 percent in 2024. The organisation has now sustained 17 quarters of double-digit growth into the first half of 2025, a trend that intensifies pressure on airport infrastructure and operational capabilities.
Within the MoU framework, ICP and the airport operator will share real-time data, deploy coordinated workflows and establish joint working groups to oversee daily operations, emergency readiness and performance metrics. Key benchmarks will include passenger wait times, satisfaction indicators, customs efficiency and throughput during peak loads.
Sorlini described ICP as “a crucial partner and enabler” in refining the airport’s rapid growth trajectory, adding that the collaboration will ensure that infrastructure and systems keep pace with the world-class facilities offered to passengers. Al Kuwaiti emphasised that the integration of government services and airport operations is vital for the UAE’s aviation ambitions, pledging commitment to both security and seamless travel.
Analysts regard the MoU as part of a broader push by the UAE to embrace smart border technologies and elevate the passenger experience. The “Smart Travel” platform already holds a GovMedia Award in 2025 as Best Marketing Campaign. Pilots of similar biometric systems are underway at international airports elsewhere, but the seven-second immigration target at scale is among the more aggressive benchmarks globally.
Zayed International Airport handled over 29 million passengers in 2024, up some 28 percent year-on-year, and its recent rebranding reflects expansion and modernization efforts including the Midfield Terminal development. The MoU will also extend to the Abu Dhabi network’s others: Al Ain International, Al Bateen Executive, Delma Island and Sir Bani Yas Island airports.
Peak periods, fluctuating flight schedules, and the diversity of global travellers — from visa holders to transit passengers — pose notable implementation challenges. Sustaining high security while compressing process times requires resilient systems, staff training, and continuous monitoring.
In parallel, the agreement is expected to strengthen emergency coordination — for example in handling medical or security incidents — and allow rapid shared response across border and airport agencies. The establishment of joint performance review protocols aims to hold both parties accountable for meeting international benchmarks.
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