Kempegowda International Airport conducts technical trials for contactless international travel

Bengaluru: Kempegowda International Airport has conducted technical trials of a contactless international travel system, marking a step towards biometric-enabled passenger processing for overseas travel.

The trials, carried out by Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) in collaboration with IndiGo, Digi Yatra Foundation and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), demonstrated an end-to-end digital travel flow. This included processes from ticket booking to airport entry and boarding, using biometric authentication.

The system is built on a Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) framework, allowing passengers to verify their identity through facial recognition while retaining control over personal data. The trial also tested app-to-app integration for sharing boarding details, reducing the need for physical documents.

The exercise forms part of IATA’s global proof-of-concept initiatives aimed at standardising contactless travel across international airports. Bengaluru is currently the only airport in India participating in this programme.

Airport authorities said the trials assessed the feasibility of scaling the system for international passengers, as traffic continues to rise. While biometric processing is already in use for domestic travel under Digi Yatra, its extension to international routes will require alignment with global standards and regulatory clearances.

Suresh Khadakbhavi, CEO Digi Yatra Foundation said, “What we have demonstrated with IndiGo, BLR Airport, and IATA goes beyond a successful PoC, it is a glimpse into the future of international travel. We enabled a seamless, end-to-end digital journey where a passenger’s identity is securely established in advance and verified across airport touchpoints using only their face."

"Built on Digi Yatra’s privacy-first, consent-led framework, this approach ensures minimal, purpose-bound data usage. By aligning with IATA’s One ID standards, we have also demonstrated true interoperability with other global travel ecosystems, paving the way for faster, more secure, and globally trusted travel experiences at scale," he added.