IATA Tests Contactless International Travel with IndiGo, Digi Yatra and BLR Airport.
IATA’s worldwide drive to undertake Proofs-of-Concept (PoCs) for international contactless travel itineraries in strategic markets worldwide included this first-of-its-kind initiative in India.
In technical trials at Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR Airport), IndiGo, in collaboration with the Digi Yatra Foundation, Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), and International Air Transport Association (IATA), demonstrated integrated international travel flow from ticketing and booking management to a seamless, biometric-enabled journey. IATA’s worldwide drive to undertake Proofs-of-Concept (PoCs) for international contactless travel itineraries in strategic markets worldwide included this first-of-its-kind initiative in India.
A state-of-the-art Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI)-based ecosystem that uses biometric technology for contactless passenger processing at airports and an app-to-app integration that allows seamless boarding pass sharing between their mobile applications was successfully implemented earlier this year by IndiGo and the Digi Yatra Foundation. Building on the successful paradigm, IndiGo and the Digi Yatra Foundation, working with BIAL, have shown that this technology is viable and scalable to facilitate international travel. This initiates the next stage of digital travel and is a major step toward full-scale adoption.
Neetan Chopra, Chief Digital and Information Officer stated, “At IndiGo, we are dedicated to shaping the future of travel through innovation and customer-centric solutions. The viability and scalability of utilising digital identity and biometric technologies to provide a smooth, contactless airport experience are amply demonstrated by these successful technical trials. We are happy to have worked with IATA, Digi Yatra, and BIAL to advance this project from its conceptual stage and anticipate it having a significant impact on the development of international aviation.”
“The work being done by IndiGo, Digi Yatra, and Bangalore International Airport Limited clearly demonstrates what is possible when innovation, scale, and collaboration come together. India is emerging as a global leader in digital and contactless travel.” This proof of concept demonstrates how India’s digital identity ecosystem, which is based on globally harmonised standards, may be expanded beyond domestic travel to facilitate smooth foreign travel. According to Kim Macaulay, Chief Information and Data Officer at IATA, “the success of these trials reinforces India’s role in shaping the next phase of passenger experience transformation with solutions that can be replicated across the globe.”
“At BLR Airport, we have taken a phased approach to building a biometric led travel ecosystem, supported by continued investments in seamless, technology enabled passenger flows,” stated George Fanthome, Chief Technical Officer of Bangalore International Airport Limited. The airport’s larger goal of allowing contactless travel at scale, where passenger-controlled data, interoperability, and seamless experiences intersect, is in line with these new initiatives. The emphasis will be on promoting standards and facilitating contactless travel that can expand to other airports as the ecosystem develops.
Suresh Khadakbhavi, CEO of the Digi Yatra Foundation stated, “What we have demonstrated with IndiGo, BLR Airport, and IATA goes beyond a successful Proof of Concept, it is a glimpse into the future of international travel. We made possible a smooth, end-to-end digital experience in which a traveler’s identification is safely established beforehand and validated using just their face at various airport touchpoints. This strategy guarantees limited, purpose-bound data usage and is based on Digi Yatra’s privacy-first, consent-led architecture. We have also shown genuine interoperability with other international travel ecosystems by adhering to IATA’s One ID criteria, opening the door for quicker, safer, and internationally trusted travel experiences at scale.”
