DigiYatra cuts boarding time by half in 3 out of 5 flights
Times of India | 12 July 2024
Kolkata: In three out of five flights that depart Kolkata airport, the boarding time of passengers has reduced by half following the use of DigiYatra channels over the last few weeks.
“Instead of one manual channel for passengers at the terminal boarding gates with aerobridges, there are now two additional DigiYatra channels. So, three persons can be cleared for boarding at a time instead of one,” Kolkata airport director, Pravat Ranjan Beuria, said.While two DigiYatra channels have been installed in all 18 boarding gates, six channels at three gates used regularly by IndiGo are currently functional. The carrier operates nearly 60% of the flights out of Kolkata.
DigiYatra is designed to streamline the airport experience for passengers by leveraging facial recognition technology. It enables travellers to navigate through various checkpoints at the time of check-in, security clearance and boarding without the need for physical documents. With DigiYatra, a passenger’s face serves as their ‘boarding pass and ID.’
The system also offers the convenience of storing travel documents and identification digitally on a mobile platform. DigiYatra’s contactless approach not only saves time but also enhances the overall efficiency of airport procedures.
The facility was launched on March 31 at Kolkata airport. While the service had initially started with entry gates and security checks in the first phase, airport authorities have now begun using it at boarding points as well.
DigiYatra usage among passengers has also inched up with nearly half the passengers, who fly out of Kolkata, using the paperless mode of travel. Half of the DigiYatra passengers or one in four domestic flyers flying from Kolkata airport use the DigiYatra app.
“Airlines usually facilitate boarding by segregating passengers over different zones, which often takes a lot of time. But if one has DigiYatra-enabled boarding pass, the process is quicker as there is a separate queue. Ever since I have started uploading my boarding passes on DigiYatra travelling through the airport has been far easier,” said Dwaipayan Roy, a frequent flyer.