Soon, use Aadhaar to check in at Bengaluru Airport
Aadhaar-enabled screening at airports will soon be a reality, and if things go according to plans, Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport will lead the new system. In the new arrangement, biometric identification will replace separate screening at every checkpoint, drastically reducing the time needed for the whole process. The Bangalore International Airport Limited decided to go ahead after a two-month pilot project at Kempegowda.
Hyderabad airport had led the way in pilot testing
At first, the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Hyderabad started a pilot project called e-boarding where people could enter Aadhaar number at entry gates. They didn't have to show physical ID afterwards. Passengers had the option of not using Aadhaar too. There were reports Mumbai, Delhi, Baroda and Vijayawada airports were planning similar projects.
Both airports and flyers had to gain
According to a Hyderabad airport spokesperson, "E-boarding improved passenger throughput outcome by 30% and performance of security frisking area by 20%." The Bengaluru Airport reported e-boarding had reduced verification time to five seconds at each checkpoint. Instead of 25 minutes for the complete screening process, it took 10 minutes. It will also reduce the congestion especially at crowded airports like Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
The system has its own set of requirements
For Aadhaar-enabled screening to work smoothly, officials would need reliable high-speed connection and real-time access to the Aadhaar database as well as that of the National Crime Records Bureau. Moreover, many might not have Aadhaar since it is not mandatory yet, so a backup system has to be in place that would allow passengers to use physical ID.
But will it be as safe as the current system?
Complete security of an online system is a myth. Even the Aadhaar database has been compromised, either hacked or details leaked. Japanese researchers have already warned that high-quality cameras could copy fingerprints in documents.
For now, Bengaluru Airport plans to launch e-boarding by December'18
For now, Bengaluru airport officials plan to launch e-boarding by March'18; rope in all domestic airlines by June'18; international airlines by October'18; and complete the whole process by December'18. BIAL President Hari Marar insists it will hasten the screening process and increase security. If it emerges successful, other airports are likely to follow Bengaluru Airport's lead.
