LCY8737

Does anybody have experience with the Smart Gates on arrival? Some resources on the internet indicate that people are auto-enrolled if they have previously visited Dubai. Also they appear to now be live in Terminal 1. Is that true?

rjn21

Smart Gates are live in T1. Smart gates access doesn't necessarily get auto enrolled - you have to ask the immigration officer BEFORE processing starts. Generally, not always, a sticker is placed on the back of the passport following enrolment.

LCY8737

The UAE government site on https://www.gdrfad.gov.ae/en/node/2110 says that "All guests who have recently traveled at DXB are likely to have been registered when they traveled through the passport control touchpoint." - that was how I came up with the auto-enrolled?

rjn21

My bolding.

Some immigration officers can be bothered, some can’t, unless specifically asked.

moral_low_ground

I went to DXB 3 weeks ago (T3) for the first time in ages and went through the purple "Smart Gates" lanes. I asked to register and the person then had me look into the eye scanner and all was (supposedly) good (I also was given a 1GB Du mobile data sim good for one day). Leaving T3 via the smart gates was fine.

However, last week I arrived into T1 and went to use the smart gates and it didn't work. Went to see the manual check person (which fortunately was in the smart gate area) and he tried to register me again but said that I was not opening my eyes wide enough for the eye scanner to work. I informed him that my eyes open as wide as they do and there is not much I can do about it.

So, another poorly implemented IT project which doesn't work properly. Being in IT myself I just don't get how companies can continually f things up. Did they only test with people who's eyes open nice and wide - a bit like BA only testing the security machines with their own staff ??? The (previous) e-gate card worked pretty much all the time so another step backwards

LCY8737

So I guess I'll have to try it, find out it doesn't work, and then join the back of the immigration queue after a plane load of people has walked past me.

southlondonphil

I've occasionally had problems with the Smart Gates at DXB and if I recall correctly the procedure is to let the gate scan your face before you put your passport onto the reader, i.e. the opposite way round to how the LHR gates work

gliderpilot

Is it possible to get covid tested at the airport still? I am thinking about those transitting to Abu Dhabi and needing then needing the Green tick in the Al Hosn app.

moral_low_ground

That's what I thought was about to happen but it is like the gates at LHR, you just walk off to the manual check booth which is in the area of the smart gates (there are 2 of these in T1) and you therefore avoid the masses queuing up which makes trying the eye scanner smart gates a low risk activity (ie quick) even if it doesn't work.

lost_in_translation

I’ve never asked to register, but my EK boarding passes all say “Smart Gates” on them now as of a year or so ago. Not sure if it happened in the EK or BA terminal, but immigration somewhere registered me automatically.

LCY8737

Thought I'd report back: Two of us travelling, both not actively registered for smart gates but with arrivals in DXB during the previous 12 months. Both our passports worked without any issues, took seconds to complete immigration. Great experience.

DYKWIA

There's "tunnel" type scanner in T3 (J & F area) where you don't even need to break pace. Just walk through, and it scans you as you pass. Some sort of facial recognition I think.

NA-Flyer

I am quite surprised that BA has allocated a 787-8 metal for BA 106 and 107 during the month of December, which is a peak month for the holidays and this mid day flight from LHR is the most suitable flight for a lot of connecting passengers from North America!!

Wozza2404

Just for anyone else travelling - it's not uncommon for the Smart Gates to tell you to go to immigration. Before doing this, try a difference one (the staff will often proactively have you try this if they clock you're having issues). This regularly solves the issue.

That being said, if you're in and out the country multiple times in a short space of time you'll get a proper 'go to immigration' marker and an officer will stamp your passport. Smart Gates will then typically work again for your exit from the airport.

rjn21

Does anyone know which door is used for lower deck (F) on an a380 when arriving in DXB?

777 is always 1L.

787 (rare) but if it is used it is always 2L (pitot tubes and or AoA sensors too near 1L).

Thanks.