Indian gateway Kempegowda International Airport (BLR) implemented a fully biometric-based self-boarding solution for passengers flying with Vistara on Monday (22 July) enabling the seamless flow from registration to boarding.
As part of the ‘Digi Yatra’ project – the airport has partnered with Vistara to launch the One-ID biometric platform technology, developed and installed by Vision-Box, which will enable passengers to breeze through the gateway.
After the completion of the final phase by early next year, it is expected to be the largest deployment of an end-to-end paperless biometric programme in Asia with over 350 passenger touchpoints at BLR Airport Terminal 1.
The first milestone of the programme will enable passengers travelling on Vistara flight UK864 from Bengaluru to Mumbai to utilise this process without presenting travel documents at every touch point.
This was made possible by the integration of Vistara’s Departure Control System with the technology, allowing effortless processing at the entry to the terminal, passenger security screening and the boarding gate. All Vistara flights are expected to be integrated into the biometric boarding process at BLR Airport by October 2019.
Over the next few months, this process is expected to be integrated with check-in and self-bag-drop to include other domestic and international airlines at BLR. In the final stage, this technology will be integrated with the Digi Yatra Central Platform being developed by the central government’s Digi Yatra Foundation.
Passengers can simply enrol their ID and biometric data, combined with their flight details, before entering the terminal. As they travel through the airport, passengers can put their travel documents away, as they will be authenticated and verified at every touchpoint by state-of-the-art biometric technology.
Bangalore International Airport Ltd. (BIAL) chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director, Hari Marar said the biometric technology has the potential to make the passenger experience at the BLR Airport “seamless, secure and enjoyable”.
He added: “There is an increasing need to offer seamless experiences and, as a pioneer in the airport technology domain in India, BIAL is committed to offering innovative ways to simplify the passenger journey, while maintaining the highest standards of safety, security and privacy.”
“Once we trial the full end-to-end process successfully and integrate it into the Digi Yatra Platform being developed by the Digi Yatra Foundation, the technology and process will be used extensively for seamless flow in our upcoming Terminal 2 Project as well,” Hari said.
Vistara’s chief information and innovation officer, Ravinder Pal Singh said the airline continues to keep a “sharp focus” on leveraging technology to make travelling increasingly seamless across customer touchpoints.
He added the airline will continue to invest in cutting-edge technologies to “stay ahead of the curve” while laying a foundation for the future.
Vision-Box chief executive officer, Miguel Leitmann said: “Vision-Box was selected by BLR Airport a few months ago to deliver a trusted biometric platform that enables a digital friction-less passenger experience, resembling ‘a walk in the park’.
“Here we are together inaugurating the first stage of the Digi Yatra Seamless Flow program, which is a premiere in India and the largest initiative in Asia. Most importantly, it will become a major growth handler for BLR, by enhancing capacity, efficiency and security, while offering a modern experience for passengers.”
