Self-Service Technology Fast Tracks Immigration at Rome Airport

Passengers from the European Union who hold electronic passports can now use self-service immigration control technology to accelerate their arrival and departure at Rome’s Fiumicino-Leonardo de Vinci International Airport.

In an Automated Border Control gates (ABCGates) trial with air transport IT specialist, SITA, more than 3,000 passengers a day are clearing customs and immigration at the airport using the latest technology.

SITA’s iBorders BorderAutomation ABCGates quickly confirm that the passenger is the passport holder and is authorized to enter the country. They use the latest biometric technology to verify each passenger through a combination of facial recognition and fingerprints. This process enables eligible passengers to use self-service facilities, reducing wait times. At the same time, it allows Customs and Immigration agents to focus their resources on potential high-risk passengers.

Dave Bakker, President, SITA Europe, said, “SITA is at the forefront of pioneering solutions in self-service border technology. We’re using the latest biometrics to facilitate fast, accurate and secure passenger processing at the border so that airports and governments can reach the fine balance between providing a warm welcome and ensuring a high level of border security. The installation in Fiumicino marks the first ABCGates implementation in Italy and will provide some good learnings for future expansion of the program.”

There are currently four ABCGates available in arrivals and four in departures in Fiumicino Terminal 3, along with two monitoring stations for Italian border authorities.

SITA collaborated with Aeroporti di Roma, the airport operator; and the Immigration Department of the Italian Ministry of the Interior, the government organization responsible for immigration and border control security; on the new ABCGates.

Around 30 governments globally use SITA’s iBorders systems and capabilities.