Nedumbassery: Passengers flying from Kochi Airport will soon be able to carry out check-in procedures easily, with the implementation of the Digi Yatra facility. The Digi Yatra e-boarding software is intended to make checking in at airports more efficient and smooth with the help of digital technology.
This facility has been undergoing a trial at the domestic terminal of the Kochi Airport since February this year and will be inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is also the chairman of CIAL (Cochin International Airport Limited), at the cargo terminal of the airport at 4.30 pm on October 2.
Currently, e-gates have been installed at 22 gates of the domestic terminal which can allow entry to passengers with the help of face-recognition technology. The necessary software for the purpose was developed by the IT section of CIAL. Authorities at CIAL said that this software would have cost around Rs 18 crore if bought from other sources. Meanwhile, the e-gates were imported from Belgium.
The main advantage of Digi Yatra is saving the time spent on various inspections at the airport. For instance, travellers registered with the Digi Yatra app need not show their identity cards and tickets to the security officer while entering the airport terminal. They have a special counter for check-in, inspection of handbags and body checks. Such travellers can also reach the boarding gate through the Digi Counter, avoiding queues.
Currently, the Digi Yatra facility is available at the airports in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Varanasi, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Jaipur, Guwahati, Vijayawada, Pune, Hyderabad and Kolkata.
However, the Dig Yatra service is available only for passengers who have an Aadhaar-linked mobile number.
How can you utilize the Digi Yatra facility?
1) Download the Digi Yatra app of the Central Ministry of Civil Aviation from the app store on your mobile phone.
2) Carry out your registration by providing an Aadhaar-linked mobile number, other details and a photograph. Currently, Aadhaar is the only ID proof accepted. It should be uploaded in XML form or downloaded from DigiLocker. The registration needs to be carried out only once.
3) Download the online boarding pass from the airline company’s website (web check-in).
4) Open the Digi Yatra app on your mobile phone and scan the barcode on the boarding pass or upload it. When the boarding pass is linked to Digi Yatra, press the ‘Share’ button. This allows the details of your journey to be conveyed to the Digi Yatra system. You will soon receive a QR code.
5) On arriving at the airport, scan your QR code at the Digi Yatra entry gate in front of the terminal. Also, show your face to the camera at the entry gate. This opens the gate automatically.
6) If you have check-in baggage, hand it over to the counter of the airline company. Otherwise, head straight to the security gate, where there is a separate queue for Digi Yatra passengers. If you are carrying a handbag, give it for checking. The security gate will open when you show your face to the camera there. You can then proceed to the waiting area for boarding the aircraft.
