Passengers flying from Bengaluru and Delhi airports can now use their biometrics as part of the departure process.
The two airports have introduced a facial recognition system that checks passenger biometrics at several points – entry to the terminal, security and boarding.
All passengers should find the system faster and more convenient than traditional system. Each checkpoint should take about 3 seconds and passengers don’t need to show a paper ID. The face replaces the paper documents such as ID, vaccine proof and boarding pass.
At Delhi T3, passengers with AirAsia India, Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara can use the system.
At Bengaluru, passengers of AirAsia India and Vistara airlines can use it.
Participation in the Digi Yatra scheme is voluntary and all data is deleted 24 hours after the flight.
The launch is a beta version but it has already been well tested since trials began in 2017. Almost 20,000 passengers have used the system at Delhi during the trials.
More from Indian airports:
- Hyderabad Airport started facial recognition trials in 2019
- Kempegowda Airport and Vistara introduce biometrics
- Bengaluru Airport tests robots to assist passengers
Digi Yatra (Digital Travel)
The system, run by the Indian government, is called Digi Yatra. The aim is to introduce more digital technology at Indian airports to reduce queues and improve the passenger experience.
The Digi Yatra Foundation is a not- for- profit joint venture between:
- Airport Authority of India
- Cochin International Airport
- Bangalore International Airport
- Delhi International Airport
- Hyderabad International Airport
- Mumbai International Airport
How it works
Download the app
Passengers have to download the DigiYatra app. For the moment, only the Android version of the app is available. An iOS version is expected in a few weeks.
Register details
Passengers then register their details, including name, email, phone number, Aadhar details (card with their fingerprints and iris scans) and Covid vaccination information. This creates a Digi Yatra ID.
On first travel, they add their picture – facial biometrics – and these details are added to their Digi Yatra ID.
At the airport entrance
- Passengers scan their boarding pass (the system checks if they are on a departing flight)
- Have their picture taken by a high definition camera
- The biometrics system compares the live picture with the facial biometrics registered
- If the details match the passenger can enter the terminal
At security and boarding
- Passengers have their picture taken by a high definition camera in an egate
- The live picture is compared with facial biometrics registered.
Supplier
The facial recognition system comes from Portuguese company Vision-Box.
More Indian airports are getting biometrics
The system is expected to be rolled out to more airports in India in the coming months, including Hyderabad, Kolkata and Pune.
N.B. Image credit: Bengaluru Airport
Internet links
Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR)
