Emirates Group is developing airport robots designed to check in passengers and take care of their luggage, with an unveiling and formal launch expected in the first quarter of 2027. The project would extend automated check-in beyond document checks to receiving, weighing, tagging and transporting suitcases.
Keenan Hamza, Emirates’ vice president of innovation and new technologies, outlined the plans to reporters at ForsaTEK 2026 in Dubai, Gulf News reported. The robots build on Sara, an earlier prototype developed to complete check-in using facial recognition and passport-scanning technology.
Under the proposed process, a baggage robot would recognize an approaching passenger through a facial scan, accept the suitcase, weigh it and attach its baggage tag automatically. The next generation is also intended to transport luggage after passengers arrive at the airport, adding physical baggage handling to the identification and check-in functions.
For travelers, the potential change is a more connected departure process, with fewer separate steps between identification and handing over a bag. However, Emirates has not detailed which airports will receive the robots first, how many will be deployed or which passengers will initially be eligible to use them. The launch target should not be read as a confirmed network-wide rollout. Travelers planning trips in early 2027 should therefore continue to follow the check-in instructions for their departure airport.
Automation Extends Beyond the Check-In Desk
Development is taking place through a specialized robotics laboratory established by Emirates Group. Hamza said the company is applying automation across passenger services, operations, cargo and logistics, with an emphasis on practical benefits for customers and employees.
Examples shown at ForsaTEK included a drone-based system for inspecting engine components and automated measurement of cargo pallet dimensions. These applications show how the group is developing technology for work behind the scenes as well as the more visible airport experience.
Emirates confirmed that the fourth ForsaTEK event, held September 21-22, featured more than 90 sessions and experiences and over 60 technology projects and solutions. Its official event summary described projects ranging from early research to systems already in use, an important distinction when assessing announcements about future services.
Artificial intelligence is also central to the group’s longer-term plans for personalized hospitality. Hamza said passenger data could help Emirates anticipate preferences, including food and drink choices, and offer more proactive service. That ambition goes beyond automating a transaction: it would use previous preferences to reduce the need for travelers to repeat requests.
The robot initiative fits a broader shift toward digital identity tools at airports, but baggage handling adds a different operational challenge. Emirates has yet to publish performance figures showing how quickly the robots can process passengers or how they will manage unusual luggage and exceptions. Those details will help establish whether the technology delivers a simpler airport journey when it moves into service.
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