Bengaluru Airport to be the first to introduce India’s first biometric-enabled self-bag drop facility

Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL), which operates Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), has introduced India’s first biometric-enabled self-bag drop facility. This innovation allows DigiYatra domestic passengers flying with Tata Group Airlines from Terminal 2 to start the self bag-drop process simply by scanning their faces.

Previously, passengers using the self-bag drop facility at KIA had to print a boarding pass at self-check-in kiosks and scan it to initiate the bag drop process. Now, with the integration of DigiYatra, passengers can navigate the airport using face-scan biometric technology, eliminating the need for a boarding pass or ID.

Bengaluru airport has been at the forefront of technological advancements, having introduced a fully automated self-bag drop system in 2018 and piloted DigiYatra in 2019 to minimize queue times.

At the self-bag drop kiosk in Bengaluru airport, DigiYatra passengers select the option to “scan your face biometric for baggage drop.” They then select the ‘DigiYatra’ icon to proceed. The machine captures their biometric image and generates flight details. Passengers must declare any dangerous goods they are carrying before placing their bag on the conveyor.

The machine prompts passengers to attach a baggage tag, which can be generated by the machine or printed at a self-kiosk beforehand. The bag is then measured, weighed, scanned, and fed into the baggage handling system, and a baggage receipt is generated. For excess baggage, passengers will be directed to a counter for payment, although UPI payment options will soon be available.

Passengers who prefer not to use biometrics can continue to scan their boarding pass to initiate the self-bag drop process.

This initiative, piloted by Tata Group airlines including Air India, Air India Express, and Vistara, will eventually extend to Terminal 1 (T1) and other domestic airlines in a phased rollout.

BIAL has partnered with Germany-based Materna Group to implement this biometric-enabled self-bag drop facility.

Airport officials highlight that the biometric-enabled self-bag drop facility will speed up baggage transactions and reduce check-in queues. In a statement to Moneycontrol, BIAL emphasized that this facility is currently available only to passengers of Vistara, Air India, and Air India Express. “Through facial biometric authentication, DigiYatra passengers can eliminate the step of scanning their boarding passes and conveniently deposit their luggage at the self-baggage drop facility. This service not only expedites baggage handling but also empowers passengers with greater control over their travel experience,” BIAL added.

The implementation of biometric ID verification at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in the US has shown promising results, reducing average processing time to 70 seconds per passenger and cutting bag check time by 30 percent.

Despite the benefits, privacy concerns have been raised. In April 2024, reports emerged about privacy issues related to data shared with DigiYatra, connected to a former vendor, Dataevolve, which is under investigation. However, Digi Yatra Foundation has assured that it does not store passengers’ personally identifiable information and that the personal data of Indian users remain secure.