Dubai: Three minutes is the maximum time it will take to inspect passenger’s luggage at Dubai airport and identify a suspected item as Dubai Customs introduces the most advanced customs inspection system in the world.
Operational in Terminal 3 since March, the system, developed entirely by a Dubai Customs employee, is the latest in a series of innovations put together by them to increase efficiency, cut down on manual inspection time and swiftly bust illegal items.
Consisting of a smart inspection table, the system is able to secure the privacy of passengers during inspections by eliminating the need for inspectors to manually look into the luggage’s contents to find the item. It also helps passengers complete all customs-related procedures on the spot.
“It used to take inspectors 15 to 30 minutes to open, empty and find the suspected item in a passenger’s bag, but with this innovation, inspectors can scan the bag with a small barcode device to know what the suspected item is,” said Falah Khalil, manager of passenger operations at Terminal 2, where this system was operational earlier.
The system was globally recognised and was granted a patent from the Ministry of Economy for its unique design and for carrying out multiple functions.
Ahmad Ali Shahdad, Inspection Manager at Terminal 2, was behind this innovation, he said.
In a statement to Gulf News, Dubai Customs said there’s a built-in screen on each side of the smart inspection system, which helps passengers view their rights and duties and see how the inspection procedure works. A traveller’s guide can also be viewed on the screens. When the inspection is completed, they can give their feedback on how satisfied they were with the customs service, which is then reviewed by customs officials.
Another feature of the smart system includes its capability to register the passenger’s document in less than five seconds through a scanner fitted in the device.
“Two more of these will soon be joining our field operations in Dubai airports and we have plans to develop more,” said Khalil. “The goal is to improve passengers’ experience and ensure their happiness with our services. It has also better facilitated the customs inspectors’ functions because they have everything they need in one smart system,” he said. The device provides full support for people with hearing disabilities by interacting with them through the smart screen, he added.
The device was developed to also measure and record the duration of the inspection for the purpose of keeping track of inspectors’ performance.
“The device is able to keep count of the number of luggage pieces inspected and register the identity of the inspector. Results are then submitted to the performance indicator of Dubai Customs employees.”
Screens have been also fitted near the inspector in an effort to remind him of the best customer care practices such as smiling and welcoming the passengers. In cases where the inspection takes too long, the system alerts the inspection manager, who then looks into the delay.
The system won the UK Idea of the Year award in the innovation category this year and also the best innovation at Dubai airport.
