RGIA extends contactless e-boarding facility to international flyers

HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad International Airport will now have contactless e-boarding facility not just for domestic passengers but also for international flight passengers. With this, it becomes one of the first airports in India to introduce contactless e-boarding. The GMR-led airport has been able to do so through an indigenously developed digital solution. 

The passenger can now be virtually paperless, avoid queues and waiting time. Boarding can be taken at the time of booking the ticket after a web check-in. What will follow would be five steps at the airport which include displaying the digital/printed boarding card at the e-boarding scanner, which the CISF validates. At the check-in gate, the agent will scan the boarding card and passengers can drop the luggage at the counter, followed by Immigration services.

In the fourth step, at the Security Screening Zone, hand baggage can be placed on Automatic Tray Retrieval System (ATRS), while passengers can go for security check. At the boarding gate, flyers can scan the boarding card on an e-boarding scanner and board the aircraft.

Mr Pradeep Panicker, CEO, GHIAL, said, “After about five years of successful e-boarding for domestic flights, we have launched e-boarding for international operations as well — a first for any Indian airport. In the present scenario of the pandemic, automating the passenger journey provides a pleasant airport experience.”

Though routine international flight services are suspended in line with government directions, a limited number of flights including Vande Bharat mission, charter flights and those under Air bubble arrangement are operational. At present, e-boarding facility has been enabled in Air India and Indigo flights.