Moroccan Airports Authority, NAS to launch first E-gates solution in Africa

Dec 13, 2018: The Moroccan Airports Authority (ONDA) and National Aviation Services (NAS), the fastest growing aviation services provider in the emerging markets, have partnered to launch the first electronic gates (E-gates) at the Pearl Lounge in the Marrakech Menara Airport departure area. This is the first of its kind solution across Africa.

With this new state-of-the-art self-service check-in, guests visiting the Pearl Lounge can access the lounge faster without checking in at the reception desk or waiting in a queue. The passengers can scan their printed or online boarding pass at the gate and enter the lounge.

The E-gate effectively captures all the boarding pass data, checks eligibility, enters the transaction into a database for billing and reporting, and opens the gate for eligible passengers - all in less than two seconds. The E-gate also supports lounge membership cards and vouchers.

The same technology will soon be adopted at other Pearl Lounges in Morocco as well as across other lounges in the NAS network. NAS has been exclusively managing the refurbishment and operations of 16 lounges across nine airports in Morocco, following a ten-year concession awarded by ONDA.

Hassan El-Houry, group CEO of NAS said, “As the exclusive lounge operator for the Moroccan Airports Authority in Morocco, NAS is responsible for bringing world class facilities and services to the local airports. Since kicking off operations in the country, we have invested in infrastructure, resources and training; provided operational expertise, state-of-the-art technology solutions and industry benchmarked services to launch and manage refurbished lounges across the country. The newly introduced E-gates will help enhance our offerings in the country and amplify our efforts to ensure that Moroccan airports supersede recognised international airports around the world.”

NAS is currently present in 17 countries across the Middle East, Asia and Africa. It provides ground handling services to seven out of the world’s top ten airlines and manages 31 airport lounges. With an expanded portfolio of aviation services and certified by IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO), NAS also has demonstrated expertise in supporting local hub carriers in the Middle East and Africa.