Egyptian airports and border crossings are shifting from a manual to an electronic registration database of travelers as a means of ensuring tighter security following the fatal crash of a Russian airplane in Sinai that killed 224 people.
Informed sources told Al-Masry Al-Youm that data stored on more than 10,000 smart cards has been transferred to computers for use at the airports of Sharm el-Sheikh, Hurghada and Borg Al-Arab, as well as the Taba and Salloum land crossings. The sources noted that the change ensures easier and faster access to traveler data.
“The measure came after Interior Minister Magdy Abdel Ghafar, ordering a review of airports security procedures…found out that the registration of departing travelers was done manually.”
More devices that can detect explosives and search through luggage were added as part of the overhaul, according to the sources.
Egypt, among other countries, had been urged to reconsider its travel security measures after Russia and the United States said they were confident the Russian plane was downed by Sinai-based, Islamic State-linked militants.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
