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The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), represented by the Executive Vice President for Air Transport and International Cooperation, Mr. Ali bin Mohammed Rajab, participated in a panel discussion organized by the Ministry of Interior titled "The Future of Cross‑Border Mobility," held as part of the World Defense Show 2026 in Riyadh.

The Executive Vice President affirmed that the Kingdom is leading a new phase in facilitating travel through 141 international agreements, noting that current efforts focus on replacing traditional identity and paper‑based verification with biometric identity verification technologies, such as facial and iris recognition. These technologies make travel more secure and faster, while reducing attempts at identity fraud.

He explained that the use of digital travel credentials via smartphones represents the future, as this technology enables passengers to complete their procedures before arriving at the airport. The Kingdom is working to strengthen international cooperation for the mutual recognition of these digital identities, ensuring smooth passenger flow while fully safeguarding border security and national sovereignty, keeping Saudi airports positioned as smart global hubs.

Regarding operational coordination, Ali Rajab stated that there is an integrated collaborative effort between security agencies, regulatory bodies, and airlines. GACA sets the regulatory frameworks, while the National Passenger Security Center conducts security data reviews before flight departure to ensure a "barrier‑free journey" from booking to arrival.

He noted that this model is based on three core principles: clarity of roles, protection of data privacy and confidentiality, and the application of the highest oversight standards. These steps aim to enhance the efficiency of Saudi airports and make the passenger experience more seamless, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 objective of becoming a leading global logistics hub.