Biometric smart gateway turnstiles for Sheremetyevo Airport
On June 1, 2026, Sheremetyevo International Airport officially launched a federal pilot project for biometric identification of passengers on domestic flights. The project is being implemented in accordance with Resolution No. 541 of the Government of the Russian Federation dated May 10, 2026.
Infomatika participated in the project as the supplier of Meridian biometric smart gateway turnstiles, which are used to organize and control passenger access to the pre-flight security screening area.
Sheremetyevo is one of Russia’s most technologically advanced airports and the first airport in the country to introduce biometric passenger services on regular commercial flights. Together with Aeroflot, the airport became the first in Russia to implement a practical paperless biometric passenger journey.
The new service was launched on Aeroflot Shuttle flights connecting Moscow and St. Petersburg. The service is available to Aeroflot passengers who have verified biometric data and have activated the service with the airline.
The official launch ceremony was attended by Andrey Nikitin, Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation; Mikhail Vasilenko, CEO of Sheremetyevo International Airport JSC; Sergey Aleksandrovsky, CEO of Aeroflot PJSC; Dmitry Yadrov, Head of the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya); Oleg Kachanov, Deputy Minister of Digital Development; Vladislav Povolotsky, CEO of the Center for Biometric Technologies; as well as representatives of the airport, the airline, government agencies, and the project's technology partners.
As part of the pilot, passengers in Russia for the first time completed key stages of the pre-flight process using biometric identification, including check-in, baggage drop-off, access to the security screening area, and boarding. The target scenario enables passengers to complete most travel procedures virtually “using only their face”, without presenting a passport or boarding pass at every checkpoint.
The Meridian smart turnstile performs not only passenger identification but also controls the correctness of the passage process, determining whether the second access control barrier can be opened. Powered by artificial intelligence and computer vision technologies, the system analyzes not only the passenger’s identity but also the passage scenario itself. It detects attempts at tailgating and multiple-person entry, takes into account baggage, accompanying children, unusual situations, and other factors affecting security and identification accuracy.
The biometric passage technology integrates with the IT systems of the airport, airline, Unified Biometric System (UBS), Unified System of Identification and Authentication (ESIA), Sirena-Travel, and transportation security systems. Particular attention has been paid to the protection of biometric data, cryptographic security of communication channels, access rights management, and data integrity control.
"Today we witnessed the result of extensive and coordinated work by the teams of Sheremetyevo Airport and Aeroflot. The project was implemented under the leadership of Vitaly Savelyev and Dmitry Grigorenko. I am convinced that the introduction of biometrics will make travel more convenient and comfortable for passengers. We will continue improving the technology by adding new solutions. I believe that during this year, or perhaps next year, it will become a standard and widely available component of Russia’s transportation system," said Andrey Nikitin, Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation.
The launch of the federal pilot project marks an important milestone in the digital transformation of Russia’s transportation sector. For passengers, biometric technologies mean fewer documents, fewer repetitive identity checks, reduced queues, and a more seamless travel experience. For airports and airlines, they provide improved passenger flow management, accurate identification, and increased infrastructure throughput.
This technologically sophisticated project became possible thanks to close cooperation and coordinated efforts among the project’s key technology partners, including the Center for Biometric Technologies, the IT Directorate of Sheremetyevo International Airport JSC, and the companies Zamar and VisionLabs.
