Breezing through airport security without an ID or a boarding pass may have once been a futuristic idea. Today, it is a reality in India.
DigiYatra, India’s airport entry system using facial recognition, has transformed air travel across the country. In an exclusive interview with Skift, DigiYatra Foundation CEO Suresh Khadakbhavi discussed the project’s origins, ambitions, and what it would mean for the future of air travel.
At Indian airports, passengers are required to queue outside the terminal gate for document verification. DigiYatra eliminates this hassle by using facial recognition to verify your identity at the gate without the need to pull out an ID or boarding pass.
The idea of DigiYatra started at Bangalore International Airport, Khadakbhavi’s earlier employer. Between 2008 and 2010, the airport saw a massive surge in passenger traffic, growing by 20-25% annually. Managing this growth was a challenge.
“During a brainstorming session in 2015, we asked ourselves, ‘What if a passenger could reach the boarding gate without needing to show any documents?’” Khadakbhavi recalled. The question then led to the development of DigiYatra, a biometric solution designed to reduce friction at various airport checkpoints.
DigiYatra then caught the attention of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Airports Authority of India, at a time when the Digital India initiative was at its peak.
How The Pandemic Helped
By the end of 2022, DigiYatra was operational at 3 airports across India — Bengaluru, Delhi and Varanasi. During the time of a pandemic DigiYatra was just what the doctor ordered: a contact-free system that minimized the need for physical interactions.
“The pandemic made us rethink passenger management at airports. Contactless travel became a necessity, and DigiYatra was perfectly positioned to address that,” Khadakbhavi recalled.
Last month, DigiYatra was launched at 9 more airports, taking the total to 24 Indian airports, with plans for further expansion.
Built around biometric authentication, DigiYatra integrates with the airline’s departure control systems and government databases.
What About International Travel?
While DigiYatra currently focuses on domestic travel, its CEO confirmed that the long-term goal is to implement it for international travel.
“We’re working on integrating e-passport-based enrollment, which will allow passengers to use the system for international flights,” he said. However, the implementation for international travel would require working together with international airports and border control authorities. Khadakbhavi said they have been working towards this.
Beyond airport security, Khadakbhavi talks about a future where “passengers can travel across countries without ever standing in a line.”
While the enthusiasm is there, he said countries need to have their systems in place. “We’re looking for the right match to conduct a proof of concept, and once that’s successful, we expect international adoption to follow.”
Adjusting DigiYatra for Different Airports
Airports in India differ in terms of infrastructure and passenger volumes. So while the metro cities may boast of the latest technology, some others would face logistical challenges.
Despite the difference, Khadakbhavi said the DigiYatra system would be adaptable for all types of airports.
“Since we are on the cloud, we are highly scalable,” he explained. “The system would be able to process passengers efficiently for all kinds of airports, be it a major hub or a smaller airport. Smaller airports may not want to put in those investments, but the main function — to reduce passenger processing time — remains the same for all.”
The CEO emphasized that airports of varying capacities, from bustling metros to regional hubs, could benefit from the same technology with slight modifications to match their needs.
How Safe is Your Data with DigiYatra?
Khadakbhavi terms DigiYatra’s journey as constant evolution, largely shaped by passenger feedback. Talking about several examples of how passenger suggestions have driven innovation, he said, “Passengers said they wanted to share their boarding pass directly from the airline’s app. We’re now integrating app-to-app sharing between DigiYatra and airlines,” he said. “Another asked for smoother PDF sharing of boarding passes, and we implemented that.”
However, with biometric systems come concerns about privacy and data security. Reacting to reports suggesting data breaches, Khadakbhavi clarified DigiYatra operates within a “privacy-by-design” framework, that doesn’t allow personal data to be stored centrally.
“We do not store any passenger data,” he said. “The information is stored in the passenger’s phone which makes large-scale breaches nearly impossible. To hack our system, you’d have to hack millions of individual phones.”
DigiYatra has also launched a public awareness campaign to debunk myths and educate users on security measures.
What’s Next for DigiYatra?
Though primarily focused on aviation, Khadakbhavi dreams of extending DigiYatra far beyond airports.
“If we can use credentials to validate identity at an airport, why not use the same system for hotels, cabs, or even restaurants?” he said. “We’re aiming for a seamless travel experience from start to finish, but that will take time.”
And as the dream of creating a biometric passport for all travel needs — from boarding planes to checking into hotels — is very much alive, Khadakbhavi shared the biggest challenge isn’t technical. “It’s about shifting mindsets — from the conventional boarding process to a face-based system.”