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

1 year 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

NEOPAY Wants To Follow Merchants Across Channels And Borders

A controlling 65% stake in noon payments would give NEOPAY access to marketplace sellers, online merchants and the payment flows they generate.

Published

1 day ago

October 5, 2026

Nour Nasir

neopay wants to follow merchants across channels and borders

It’s been a long time since checkouts were single defined places. A merchant might take payments at a physical register, on its own website and through an online marketplace, sometimes in more than one country. NEOPAY wants to follow those transactions wherever they happen.

The UAE payments company has entered into an agreement to acquire a 65% controlling stake in noon payments. NEOPAY already runs the acquiring infrastructure that lets merchants accept card payments, along with omnichannel acceptance and a merchant services platform. This new deal would add noon payments’ embedded payments platform, e-commerce gateway and merchant network across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. That would considerably expand both NEOPAY’s digital commerce capabilities and its regional reach.

For merchants, the attraction is a single provider for online and in-store payments, plus faster settlements, data and analytics, and value-added financial services.

“Payments should be simple, reliable, and built for the markets they serve,” said Faraz Khalid, CEO of noon. His counterpart at NEOPAY, Vibhor Mundhada, added: “We have built a strong payments business in the UAE, and our ambition is now to take that capability across the region”. The acquisition, Mundhada added, would “expand our footprint into Saudi Arabia and Egypt” while reinforcing NEOPAY’s position at home.

Also Read: In Kuwait, Your Surgeon Might Be Operating From Another Country

NEOPAY is also keen to point out potential payment volume increases. The company says noon payments’ integrations with marketplace sellers and online merchants create high transaction density in some of the region’s fastest-growing digital commerce segments. It also believes control of the business would give it access to those merchant relationships and payment flows, and speed up the rollout of alternative payment methods and installment options.

The combined roadmap targets faster merchant onboarding, better payment performance, tighter fraud controls and embedded financial services. The deal could also strengthen cross-border payments and settlement along key regional commerce corridors.