The airport reveals revolutionary plans. You won’t need a passport

Travelers without passports will be able to leave Changi Airport in Singapore as early as 2024. Complete automation of check-in when leaving Singapore is the latest promise from Singapore officials. Biometric technology will become the future of travel. “Singapore will be one of the few countries in the world to introduce automated passport-free immigration clearance,” Communications Minister Josephine Teo announced during a meeting of parliament on Monday. This means that people flying out of Singapore will not have to show their ID multiple times, as was the case before.

New technologies are being used more and more boldly

Biometric technologies such as fingerprint reading, facial identification and retina scanning are used to verify identity and have been used at international airports. In 2018, Dubai Airport introduced biometric “Smart Gates” tunnels, using technology to recognize passengers’ faces in just five seconds. However, what the Singapore airport announces sounds like the beginning of a complete move away from the need to verify travelers’ identities using passport and boarding pass scanners.

These plans are a response to the gradually increasing number of travelers, which has already exceeded the level from the month before the pandemic, when many tourists and residents left Asia in a hurry. The current four terminals will be expanded and another, fifth terminal will probably be built. “Our immigration systems must be able to effectively manage the growing number of travelers and provide them with a positive check-in experience, while keeping our country safe and secure,” the minister added during her speech. Modern technologies will enable even faster check-in of passengers in a shorter time. Since in many countries apart from Singapore passports will most likely still be a mandatory document for crossing the border, not everywhere within Changi will be able to use only biometric technology.

More time at the airport

Changi Airport in Singapore is one of the most innovative airports in the world. There’s no better place to get stuck in a terminal like Viktor Navorski – there’s enough entertainment here for a few weeks. The airport has an almost endless number of attractions in four terminals, connected by a high-speed train. Here you will find a 12-meter climbing wall, suspended trampolines, art exhibitions and the airport’s only slide. We cannot forget about the most famous attraction, the highest indoor waterfall, which is located in the airport relaxation zone. New technologies will mean that the time saved at check-in can be spent on exploring the amazing places of Changi for even longer.