Officials Prepare Kolkata Airport for Biometric Passenger Processing

Following months of COVID-19-related delays, it appears that the Airports Authority of India is getting closer to making air travel in the country contactless with the launch of its biometric boarding system (BBS).

The program — known as Digi Yatra, which means ‘digital journey’ — is an optional, end-to-end passenger processing solution that uses facial recognition to authenticate a passenger, validate their ticket, complete their baggage drop, and conduct the security check and boarding procedures.

According to a recent report from The Times of India, airport officials at Kolkata airport are busy laying out the exact sites where the biometric equipment — consisting of registration and self check-in kiosks, and automated gates — will be installed.

“The consignments of BBS equipment have arrived at Kolkata airport,” said Kolkata Airport Director C. Pattabhi. “We are now working with airlines to determine the exact position where the kiosks and terminals will be placed so that they facilitate passenger flow in the terminal and do not cause any hindrance. Drills are being carried out to check the most convenient positioning of the kiosks and terminals.”

Equipment for the Digi Yatra program will be installed in both domestic-to-domestic and international-to-domestic transfer points at all three gates of Kolkata airport, with trials beginning 45 days following the completion of an initial trial at Varansi airport.

According to an official speaking to The Times of India, the trial will at first only apply to IndiGo and Air India passengers, with all other airlines becoming eligible to use it “gradually”.

Source: The Times of India

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August 10, 2021 — by Tony Bitzionis