Indonesia has made aviation history by launching the world's first operational biometric corridors at scale, fundamentally transforming how travellers clear immigration. The groundbreaking Seamless Corridor system allows eligible passengers to bypass traditional document checks entirely, using advanced facial recognition technology as they walk through designated airport pathways.
How Indonesia's Biometric Revolution Works
The innovative system, developed through a partnership between Spanish technology giant Amadeus and Indonesian IT solutions provider Sinergi Teknoglobal Perkasa, represents a significant leap forward in border control technology. Instead of stopping at immigration counters, travellers can now be verified "in motion" through wide corridors using AI-enabled biometric scanning.
Monica Hansen from Amadeus global corporate communications explains the transformative impact: "This technology transforms immigration from a slow process characterised by queues into a fast, smooth and seamless experience." The system is part of the Indonesian government's comprehensive "All Indonesia" digital transformation initiative aimed at streamlining entry procedures for international visitors.
Currently, two biometric corridors operate at Jakarta's airport with a third facility at Surabaya, though the ultimate goal involves implementing this technology across Indonesia's entire airport infrastructure, including the popular tourist destination of Bali.
Implementation and Early Success During Hajj Pilgrimage
The system received its first major test during the recent Hajj pilgrimage, processing unprecedented volumes of travellers with remarkable efficiency. During peak periods, each biometric corridor facilitated over 30 border crossings per minute, representing a more than tenfold increase in processing capacity compared to conventional biometric eGates.
This performance proved particularly crucial given Indonesia's status as the country with the largest Hajj pilgrimage quota globally. More than 50,000 Hajj pilgrims were successfully processed using the new biometrics-on-the-move technology during the religious event.
Initial implementation focuses on elderly and disabled travellers, demonstrating Indonesia's commitment to making transformative technology accessible to all passenger demographics. Eligible travellers can enrol through the All Indonesia app, which consolidates immigration, customs, health and quarantine declarations into a single digital platform.
Industry Collaboration and Future Vision
The successful deployment represents a powerful collaboration between international expertise and local innovation. Andy Syach, CEO of Sinergi Teknoglobal Perkasa, emphasised the partnership's significance: "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."
Rudy Daniello, executive vice-president of AirOps at Amadeus, described the Seamless Corridor as the "jewel in the crown" of their end-to-end portfolio for seamless travel. He highlighted how the technology, combined with other innovations in digital identity and biometrics, finally enables airlines, airports and governments to provide a truly seamless, secure travel experience free from document checks, queues and physical barriers.
Beyond passenger convenience, the system significantly reduces pressure on immigration officers and airport staff during peak periods, freeing them from managing bottlenecks and repetitive identity verification tasks. This allows personnel to focus on more complex security matters while maintaining efficient passenger flow.
