In a world first, two airports have done away with border guards at counters checking passports and arrival cards, in favor of a new AI-integrated biometric system that lets passengers skip the queue and pass through immigration without stopping.
Two airports in Indonesia have rolled out the Seamless Corridors from tech company Aradeus, which capture biometrics from “in motion” passengers as they pass through a wide hallway, doing away with the need to line up to have their passport and arrivals card manually checked. They’re now operational at Jakarta and Surabaya airports, with more to come.
“The Seamless Corridor is the ‘jewel in the crown’ of our end‑to‑end portfolio for seamless travel, helping to remove friction and queues at the border,” said Rudy Daniello, Executive Vice President of AirOps at Amadeus. “In combination with innovations in digital identity and biometrics at key airport service points, it’s finally possible for airlines, airports and governments to provide a truly seamless, secure experience, free from document checks, queues and barriers.”
Now, you might be wondering how the system can gather enough intel from a passenger simply walking down a corridor after disembarking the plane. There is still documentation required, however, this is done through the All Indonesia app prior to flying, much like the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) visa waiver program that eligible international travelers fill out in their home country before flying into the US. Except, unlike that system, there’s no additional passport check as you navigate through the immigration area after you land.
While it’s undoubtedly a privilege to fly across the world, there’s something quite soul-crushing about finally getting off a 14-hour flight after being cooped up in economy with a few hundred strangers, only to be funneled into a queue already full of other travelers whose planes have all arrived at similar times. Adding to the challenge is that it’s often 6 am or the middle of the night local time, there are no pens in sight to fill out physical arrival cards, no Wi-Fi to do it electronically, and language barriers, which add up to further delays in making it through to the other side, in search of a strong coffee and transport to your accommodation. Seamless Corridors aim to do away with all of this, letting you go from plane to taxi with only one brief stop to pick up any luggage.
In Indonesia, Amadeus has partnered with Sinergi Teknoglobal Perkasa and they now have three Seamless Corridors in operation across the two airports.
“Our collaboration with Amadeus and the Indonesia Immigration Department has been a true example of partnership in action,” said Andy Syach, CEO of Sinergi Teknoglobal Perkasa. “By combining global expertise with local innovation, we are not only delivering world‑class border solutions but also empowering Indonesia teams through technology transfer and capability building. This close cooperation ensures that the solutions deployed today will continue to evolve and serve the nation’s long‑term vision for smart, secure, and seamless travel.”
The system also frees up immigration officers and airport staff to help passengers who need more assistance, rather than spending hours on queue control during peak travel times. The three corridors now in operation will initially be for elderly and disabled travelers, before they are opened up to all arriving passengers.
The All Indonesia app combines immigration, customs, health and quarantine declarations in one spot, allowing passengers to fill in all their information remotely at home ahead of travel. Immigration will then vet the data provided, approving the traveler for entry at the destination. This also takes away the anxiety of being assessed in real time at the border – which can vary in experience between easy questioning (shout out to Taoyuan International Airport in Taiwan) and interrogational (hello, Heathrow Airport, London and LAX, Los Angeles). In a 2025 report from Amadeus based on a survey of 9,500 travelers around the globe, 90% of respondents reported feeling anxious about various stages of their journey, with a quarter saying airport security is their biggest worry.
The Seamless Corridor biometrics system scans moving passengers, matching an individual’s face to their passport photo on file, accurately confirming their identity as they cross the border.
The technology, which was demonstrated at the Dubai Airshow in 2023, was developed by Vision-Box, the biometrics company that Amadeus acquired last year. Vision-Box had been working on this system since 2001, but recent advances in AI and capture technology has now made it a scalable reality for commercial travel. While biometric scanning isn’t new – you can find face recognition and fingerprint stations at entry points around the world – having it undertaken while on the move, without any queues and gates to pass through, is.
In the Amadeus report, an average of 69% of people would be open to biometrics scanners at security. Interestingly, this varied across cultures, with 88% of Chinese travelers surveyed having no problem with biometrics capture, while just 54% of French passengers felt the same.
“Fundamental to the success and security of biometric technology is its use of decentralized proof of identity,” the report stated. “Here, all information is stored on digital wallets or in-app, with verification handled locally and temporarily, using encrypted, consent-based data sharing. This boosts privacy, control, and security, as travelers decide when and where to share their information.”
Source: Amadeus
