Domestic flyers may soon need to produce Aadhaar details before flying; here's why

Key Highlights

• Aadhaar and passport numbers may soon be linked to airport databases.
• A flight ticket or eticket will not be needed before entering the terminals.
• International flyers will still need to produce passports at airports.

In a paperless initiative the civil aviation ministry has reportedly begun the process of linking the database of airlines and airports with passenger identities.

IDs like Aadhaar and passport numbers may soon be linked to databases and domestic Indian flyers will be asked to use biometrics to prove their identity before entering airport terminals.

Passengers will be able to use biometrics to prove identity before entering terminals and will not have to show ID cards. A flight ticket or eticket will not be needed either as the airline database will show the details of the flight they are booked on, aviation secretary R N Choubey said in a report by Times of India on Tuesday.

Further he added, “"We have set up a special unit in Airports Authority of India for giving shape to this 'digi yatra' programme. Airport operators, especially from Bangalore and Hyderabad, are part of this as they have done a lot of work in this field. We will soon know the indicative cost of the project and time frame in which it can be implemented."

By linking passenger biometrics to airport data bases it will record details of check-ins and security check details at gates. This move has been estimated to cut down the time a passenger spends in airport queues.

The linking of Aadhaar to passports was speculated with the India's first No-Fly list regulations that were released earlier this month.

However, international flyers will still be required to provide passport details at Indian airport terminals.

At airports like the Hyderabad airport and the Bengaluru airport passengers have been using biometric enabled checking points, a report by Business Standard said.

Use of technology at Indian domestic airports has been of increasing importance to lessen the time taken for passengers at long airport security queues. Civil aviation ministry has already approved the decision to stop stamping handbags at 17 airports which will soon reach others as well.