News

Faster Security Checks Are Coming To Dubai International Airport

DXB will deploy high-resolution 3D scanners by 2026 that let laptops and liquids stay in bags.

Published

10 months ago

October 3, 2025

faster security checks are coming to dubai international airport

Dubai International Airport will soon end the practice of removing laptops and liquids at security by May 2026, replacing its screening lines with new AI-powered scanners.

The upgrade stems from a deal signed last year with Smiths Detection to equip all three terminals with next-generation checkpoint systems. The machines use 3D imaging and artificial intelligence to spot threats, clearing bags without the need to separate electronics or bottles. Similar systems are being adopted at major European and US hubs, but DXB’s scale makes the rollout one of the most extensive in the industry.

Essa Al Shamsi, senior vice president for terminal operations, called the program “huge” noting it requires replacing around 140 machines and reworking infrastructure. “The introduction of this new technology will make travel easier, smoother, and stress-free as you don’t have to take anything out of your bag,” he said.

Testing is already underway in Terminal 3, home to Emirates. Once rolled out across the airport, the scanners are expected to speed up processing and cut queues at one of the world’s busiest hubs.

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Traffic numbers continue to climb. DXB handled 46 million passengers in the first half of 2025, up 2.3% year on year, its busiest first half on record. The second quarter alone saw 22.5 million travelers, a 3.1% rise from the previous year. April was the busiest month of the quarter and the most active April ever recorded, with eight million passengers.

Dubai Airports is also working on AI systems to shorten aircraft turnaround times and raise efficiency on the ground. The combined effort anchors Dubai’s position as the leading international hub, as regional competitors in Doha and Istanbul expand capacity of their own. With demand at historic highs, the technology push signals how Gulf airports are scaling up to meet the next decade of growth.

News

Syria Just Got Its First Super App Featuring Built-In Digital Payments

Built by UAE-based Syrian founders with the Ministry of Tourism’s backing, My Syria lands as visitor numbers more than double.

Published

5 days ago

August 1, 2026

Nour Nasir

syria just got its first super app featuring built-in digital payments

For most of the past decade, paying for anything in Syria with an international card was effectively impossible. Sanctions, a collapsed banking sector, and years of isolation left the country running on cash. That is what makes the launch of My Syria — the country’s first super app — more than a routine product announcement.

Developed by 121 Living, a company founded by four UAE-based Syrian entrepreneurs — Rami Kaiem, Feras Kaiem, Waseem Qudmani, and Kinan Madi — the app launched in Damascus on July 30 under the patronage of Minister of Tourism Mazen Al-Salhani. It bundles hotels, restaurants, transport, attractions, food delivery, and other lifestyle services into a single platform, currently offering eight services with plans to expand to more than 40 verified tourism and hospitality providers across the country.

Although the app already sounds enticing, the headline feature is its built-in payments. My Syria is the first platform in Syria to support cross-border digital payments through Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express — familiar tools for international visitors, and a route into the digital economy for local businesses that have long operated outside it.

my syria super app launch event

The launch rides on a sharp rebound for the troubled country. Syria’s tourism sector recorded 3.52 million visitor arrivals in the first half of 2026, a 111 percent increase over the 1.67 million during the same period in 2025 — a mix of returning expatriates, regional visitors, and international tourists.

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The Ministry of Tourism, which supported and supervised the app’s development, frames the launch as proof of concept for a wider strategy. “Digital transformation is one of the Ministry’s strategic priorities because it enables us to build a more competitive, connected and investment-ready tourism sector,” Al-Salhani said, inviting technology companies “globally, regionally and locally” to explore opportunities across the wider economy.

For 121 Living, this is phase one, with additional services and expanded geographic coverage planned. Whether a super app can flourish in a market still rebuilding its infrastructure is an open question, but for the first time in years, a visitor to Damascus can pay for dinner with their phone.