New Delhi: Travellers may soon be required to provide a unique ID like passport, PAN card or Aadhaar when booking flights tickets in a move that will help seamless airport entry and check-ins, and might also help identify unruly passengers.

The ministry is looking at the possibility of travellers punching in a unique digital ID when travelling by air, junior aviation minister Jayant Sinha said at a press conference on Thursday.

“(Aviation ministry) is studying proposals and will conduct extensive consultations to ensure comprehensive traveller coverage, convenience, and privacy," he said.

Within 30 days, a digital working group setup by the ministry would come out with a white paper and subsequently, comments from the stakeholders would be sought before finalizing the norms, Sinha said.

New rules may take effect over 3-4 months.

“We are trying to see what else we can have as unique ID so that more people are covered. A white paper will be given on creating seamless travel, after which comments from public will be sought. Then, we will come to a decision on this."

Under the initiative, Aadhaar would not be made mandatory but would be an option among other unique IDs, the minister said. “This is a pull experience and not a push experience. Passengers still have the option of carrying a boarding pass if they so wish."

Sinha said those who provide biometric ID should be able to zip through airports.

The digital push will also serve other purposes also.

It might help identify passengers on a no-fly list that the government has proposed.

The option of linking Aadhaar number to airlines and other ecosystem players at the time of booking will help faster airport entry and automated check-ins.

It will help walk-through security scanners swiftly owing to advanced biometric security solutions and receive relevant information pertaining to various facilities, protocols, airline timings, queue lengths at airports, etc.

It will also help passenger get real time notifications about congestion and delays to have greater visibility on the next step of journey and get a prompt when their luggage reaches the baggage claim belt besides submit grievances, share experiences and provide feedback.

More importantly the digital push will help reduce crowding and congestion at airports. India’s domestic air passenger traffic has almost doubled in the past six years led by strong economic growth and emergence of low-fare airlines leading to congestion at many metro airports.

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.

Share Via