linking Aadhar numbers to air travel bookings

Now, Aadhaar for getting on a plane?

NEW DELHI: The government has asked IT major Wipro to develop a blueprint for Aadhaar-based biometric access to flyers at all airports across India. Wipro is expected to give the report by early May and then airports will begin the process of a passenger's thumb being all the identification he or she requires to fly for domestic flights as international ones will need passports.The aviation ministry had been toying with the idea ofand then enabling biometric access possible at airports. The push towards taking a concrete step in this direction came at a recent meeting of various airport operators and airlines with aviation minister Jayant Sinha and aviation secretary R N Choubey."It was felt a joint system be developed that can be replicated by all airports. Wipro has been asked to develop a concept note in this regard after consulting all stakeholders, including the JV airport operators. We are seeing what all airport processes can be made e-enabled," Airports Authority of India (AAI) chairman Guruprasad Mohapatra told TOI.The idea, AAI chief, said is that passengers give their Aadhar numbers at the time of booking tickets. "Once they reach the airport they are flying out of, flyers can just keep their thumb on touch pad at entry point. Once inside, a similar process can be repeated at other places like check-in. We want passengers to have as seamless and effortless travel experience at airports as possible," Mohapatra said.Due to security considerations, flyers in India have to show an ID card along with their tickets to be allowed inside airport terminals.