Paperless, tech-driven flying will soon be the order of the day as the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) proposes ‘digital travel credential’
Boarding Passes May Soon Be History: Here’s Why
The days of fumbling through your bag for a crumpled boarding pass or standing in never-ending check-in queues might soon be over. Airports across the world, including in India, are getting ready for a massive tech-driven makeover that could completely change how we fly. According to reports, passengers will soon be able to upload passport details to their smartphones and use only facial recognition to pass through airports, under proposals by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
Over the last few years, biometric scans, facial recognition and digital identity have slowly and steadily starting replacing old-school boarding passes. Biometric check-ins and digital boarding systems are in place at major airports globally. In fact, Ryanair is planning to scrap paper boarding passes by November 3, 2025, in a statement released on March 5.
In India too, DigiYatra in India is live at airports like Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Varanasi, allowing travellers to check in using facial recognition linked to their Aadhaar.But now, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a UN agency that sets global aviation standards, is planning to introduce a ‘digital travel credential’. This digital ID will let you store and verify your passport information directly on your smartphone. When you book a flight, you’ll receive a “journey pass” instead of a ticket and you will be able to board flights simply by facial recognition.
This means ‘checking in’ for a flight will soon become obsolete! Whether you’re checking in luggage or travelling light with cabin bags only, everything from bag drop to security to boarding becomes frictionless, thanks to biometric scans. And this update doesn’t seem to be very far away. Airlines like British Airways, Air France-KLM, Finnair, and Saudia Airlines are already testing the new tech. British Airways says its digital tools are designed to “anticipate the needs of modern, digital travellers.”
Source : TimesNowNews
