Blockchain will be used to check passengers at UAE airports

Blockchain company Zamna raises $5 million to use blockchain and biometrics toautomation of passenger checks at UAE airports.

The company said that the funds raised will bespent on the development of the Advance Passenger Information platform running on the blockchain. Zamna announced that it is already collaborating with the international airline holding International Airlines Group (IAG), the airline Emirates and the General Directorate of Foreign Affairs and Residency in the UAE. According to Crunchbase's information site, an initial round of funding was conducted with the participation of LocalGlobe, Oxford Capital, and IAG.

Platform of Zamna, formerly known asVchain Technology, is intended for the exchange of passenger data between airports, government agencies, as well as customs and border services. Such data exchange will be carried out using blockchain technology, which will help reduce the process of checking documents by 90%.

Zamna representatives are confident that with the transition to digital identity verification of passengers, their data will be reliably and safely transmitted to the relevant parties.

“Over time, this process will become completelyautomated, and passengers do not even have to show any identification documents at the airport. People will also not have to go through repeated checks, ”said Zamna management.

In addition, the system will provide a high level ofconfidentiality thanks to a special algorithm that checks passenger information and biometric data. Importantly, this data will not be transmitted to unauthorized persons.

Co-founder and CEO of Zamna Irra Ariella Hee(Irra Ariella Khi) added that at the moment airlines do not provide accurate passenger information in accordance with all rules and requirements. According to her, airlines and government agencies would have to spend a huge amount of time and resources on checking who is allowed or forbidden to enter the country.

In March, US Customs announced thatintends to use the blockchain to store biometric information, and in August announced plans to test the proof of the concept based on the blockchain to protect intellectual property rights.

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