Passengers at the Bengaluru airport in India can now board with a simple wave of the hand

The system uses the passenger’s unique Aadhaar identification number to biometrically authenticate passengers in real time, from arrival at the airport through boarding. Each checkpoint features MorphoWave high-speed and touchless biometric technology to facilitate the passenger processing. In less than a second, this device captures four fingerprints and matches them against the Aadhaar database.  An automated process generates considerable time savings for an airport like Bengaluru, which experienced a 22% increase in passengers in 2016, rising to 22 million. Passengers will be able to pass these checkpoints much quicker, and no longer have to constantly show their ID documents & boarding pass/e-ticket.

Supported by staff members who are available if needed, passengers who already have an Aadhaar number use self-service check-in machines, to enroll themselves in our system & validate their identities. Then they authenticate themselves at a control gate equipped with a MorphoWave scanner, to prove that they have a ticket. In India, only persons with tickets are allowed to enter airport terminals. Passengers then go through a first biometric gate to reach the check-in area, and then a second biometric gate, entering a restricted access security zone. The third biometric access, is checked by a police officer to reach the boarding zone. When boarding, a staff member uses a tablet to check their boarding pass before entering the plane.

Bengaluru is the first airport to use a biometric identification process based on Aadhaar ID numbers, offering a thoroughly modern passenger experience that will contribute to the digital transformation of India. Indian passengers with a driver license (which also contains their fingerprints), and passengers with a biometric passport from other countries can also take advantage of this e-boarding system. When checking in, they are assisted by a police officer, who scans their passport and boarding card, and saves their fingerprints to ensure traceability.