• Algiers airport to deploy AI systems from December 2025
• Upgrades include facial recognition, smart gates, contactless travel
• Plan aims to make airport a major African and global hub
Algerian authorities plan to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into services at Algiers International Airport starting this December. The modernization effort aims to elevate the airport's service quality to meet international standards.
Mokhtar Mediouni, CEO of the Algiers Airport Services and Infrastructure Management Company (SGSIA), announced the initiative on Sunday, September 14, at a press conference reported by the Algeria Press Service (APS). The upgrades will include facial recognition, body scanners, contactless travel, and smart gates. Mediouni said these technologies will optimize the use of airport spaces like halls, parking lots, and boarding areas while simplifying passenger entry and exit procedures.
This digitalization effort is part of a broader strategy to transform Algiers International Airport into a "regional hub". The goal is to leverage Algeria's strategic location near Europe, positioning the airport as a major transit point for global passenger and cargo traffic. The ambition is also to elevate the airport to a leading African hub, serving as a gateway for travelers from the continent to Asia, the Americas, and Europe while offering modern services.
Algiers International Airport is the country's main airport. Authorities projected it would handle around 10 million passengers in 2024, following 7.3 million in 2023 and 6.5 million in 2022. The airport is also central to the African and global expansion strategy of the national airline, Air Algérie.
In April 2025, the state-owned airline announced the launch of new direct routes to six destinations in Africa and Asia starting this winter. The new routes include Guangzhou (China), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), N'Djamena (Chad), Zanzibar (Tanzania), Libreville (Gabon), and Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). By the end of 2024, Air Algérie was already serving 25 African destinations with a passenger flow of 179,000 people.
Isaac K. Kassouwi
