Elon Musk said the US needs to catch up with technology being used at Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi. Reuters
Elon Musk said the US needs to catch up with technology being used at Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi. Reuters
Elon Musk said the US needs to catch up with technology being used at Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi. Reuters
Elon Musk said the US needs to catch up with technology being used at Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi. Reuters

Musk says 'US needs to catch up' in remarks about airport check-in at Abu Dhabi


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Tesla chief executive Elon Musk said the US needed to catch up with the UAE in a social media comment about Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi.

Mr Musk made his remark in response to a video showing the ease of checking in to the airport using facial recognition.

The comment on X, which the billionaire owns, was in reply to a clip from a TikTok user discussing the technology available at the airport.

“[The] US does need to catch up,” said Mr Musk.

The airport's Terminal A opened to passengers in November. Before then, it was first seen by a global audience when it was used as a location in the Tom Cruise action movie Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.

Passengers who check in online can use the self-service desk at the terminal that will detect their biometric details using facial recognition.

The system does all the required checks on visas and data verification.

It was estimated that some passengers could get from the kerb outside the terminal to their gate in 12 minutes.

Terminal A was built to attract more airlines to start flights to the UAE capital and aims to “future-proof” operations by increasing its capacity to 65 million passengers in 10 years, up from 45 million currently, airport chiefs told The National last year.

The opening of the new terminal was soon followed by the renaming of the entire airport. Abu Dhabi International Airport officially changed its name to Zayed International Airport in February.

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Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

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1. Featherweight 66kg: Ben Lucas (AUS) v Ibrahim Kendil (EGY)

2. Lightweight 70kg: Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)

3. Welterweight 77kg:Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)

4. Lightweight 70kg: Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)

5. Featherweight 66kg: Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)

6. Catchweight 85kg: Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)

7. Featherweight 66kg: Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)

8. Catchweight 73kg: Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Ahmed Abdelraouf of Egypt (EGY)

9.  Featherweight 66kg: Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)

10. Catchweight 90kg: Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)

Updated: July 02, 2024, 5:09 AM