India's airport authority selects SITA contactless boarding pass system
GENEVA - SITA, a global air transport technology provider based in Geneva, Switzerland, has partnered with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to implement its Smart Path technology in nine airports across India. The initiative is part of India's DigiYatra program, aimed at improving passenger flow and airport efficiency through contactless biometric systems.
The partnership includes the installation of SITA's biometric solutions, including Smart Path, Passenger Flow Management, and Face Pods, allowing passengers to move through airports without the need for physical documents.
SITA’s Smart Path technology utilizes biometric identification, primarily through facial recognition, to streamline passenger processing at airports. Upon a passenger’s first interaction—typically at check-in—the system captures their facial biometric data, which is then linked to their travel documents such as passports and boarding passes. This allows passengers to be identified solely by their face as they move through various checkpoints in the airport, including security and boarding gates.
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These technologies will be introduced at Visakhapatnam, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Indore, Raipur, Bagdogra, Patna, Goa (Dabolim), and Coimbatore airports, which SITA says offers a streamlined travel experience and reducing wait times.
DigiYatra, led by the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation, seeks to modernize air travel through paperless, facial recognition-based systems. The project was officially launched at Visakhapatnam Airport, with Union Minister of Civil Aviation Shri Rammohan Naidu and other officials in attendance. The initiative is set to extend to 28 Indian airports, covering nearly 90% of domestic travelers.
SITA’s APAC President, Sumesh Patel, highlighted the significance of the partnership, stating, "India has a unique opportunity to revolutionize its airports with world-class infrastructure. We are ready to help India continue to innovate in their digitalization efforts with SITA technology as the DigiYatra initiative spreads across India."
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In 2023, more than 20 million passengers used DigiYatra. SITA's ongoing collaboration with AAI, announced in July 2023, aims to improve operations at 43 of India’s largest airports, upgrading over 2,700 passenger touchpoints nationwide.
Jamie Whitney
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