The FINANCIAL — GMR Hyderabad International Airport on August 12 announced that it has become India’s first airport to get approval for implementation of the end-to-end E-boarding for domestic passengers. The first-of-its-kind facility in India is in line with the Honourable Prime Minister of India’s ‘Digital India’ initiative, and will enable paperless and hassle free travel for passengers transiting through Hyderabad Airport.
Following thorough assessment of the pilot e-boarding project, the Commissioner of Security Civil Aviation (CoSCA), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), under the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), has given the approval for the same.
The innovative end-to-end E-boarding process will now trigger a paradigm shift in air passenger handling process in the country, making Hyderabad airport a pioneer in the field of airport technology in India, according to GMR Hyderabad International Airport.
After the full-scale implementation of the E-boarding solution, a passenger will need only a mobile E-boarding card and his Aadhaar number to gain entry into the airport. A unique feature of the E-boarding facility is its compatibility with other conventional modes as well viz. one can use the boarding card issued by CUSS (Common Use Self Service) machine or check-in counters also. Further, fliers would have flexibility to follow the traditional process of showing a photo-ID to gain entry into the airport in case the Aadhaar number is not available. The E-boarding system at Hyderabad airport also removes the necessity of stamping the boarding cards, for passengers who carry physical boarding cards.
Commenting on the development, Mr. SGK Kishore, CEO, GHIAL said, “We are proud to become the first Indian airport to get approval for implementation of the E-boarding facility. Our E-boarding solution is in line with the ongoing ‘Digital India’ initiative envisioned by the honorable Prime Minister of India. The seamless collaboration with cross functional teams and our stakeholders – Jet Airways and CISF – enabled us to move from concept stage to the implementation in the shortest possible time. The robustness of our technology-enabled solution is evident from the fact that we have become the first airport to receive the approval from the authorities. This reaffirms our commitment towards driving innovation for easing passenger facilitation process and enhancing operational efficiency at our airport. With the implementation of E-boarding, we would move to the next level in terms of passenger experience and customer delight and help our airport set new benchmarks in this field.”
Implementation of full scale E-boarding will be initiated soon at the airport for domestic passengers. Post implementation, the airport will take a big leap towards automation leading to further improvement in the passenger processing time and enhancing the security features at the airport. The E-boarding project has been recognized by International Air Transport Association (IATA) as being aligned to their “Fast Travel” vision and “Simplify the Business” initiative that allows for greater passenger choice through access to self-service options.
The unique passenger workflow designed for the E-boarding process through integration with Aadhaar card and biometric credentials for veracity check, and installation of High Definition CCTV cameras ensures a high level of security. This automated facility promises a better environment as it is paperless and requires lesser manual interface. With this facility in place, the passengers would experience smooth boarding process at no additional cost. The E-boarding facility provides an end-to-end process covering all key passenger touch points at the airport without compromising on any security aspect.
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