This first‑of‑its‑kind initiative in the country forms part of IATA’s global campaign to pilot contactless international travel journeys across key markets worldwide.
IndiGo, in partnership with Digi Yatra Foundation, Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL), and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), has successfully conducted technical trials of a fully integrated international contactless travel journey at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru. The demonstration covered the entire passenger flow, from ticketing and managing bookings to a seamless biometric‑enabled journey across airport touchpoints.
Earlier this year, IndiGo and Digi Yatra Foundation successfully implemented a self‑sovereign identity (SSI) based ecosystem using biometric technology for contactless passenger processing at airports, along with app‑to‑app integration enabling seamless sharing of boarding passes. Building on that success, IndiGo and Digi Yatra Foundation, in association with BIAL, have now demonstrated the viability and scalability of this technology for international travel. This marks a significant step toward full‑scale deployment and ushers in the next phase of digital travel.
This first‑of‑its‑kind initiative in India was part of the IATA’s global campaign to test proofs‑of‑concept for international contactless travel in key markets worldwide.
Following the successful trial, Neetan Chopra, Chief Digital and Information Officer, IndiGo, said, “These successful technical trials clearly demonstrate the feasibility and scalability of leveraging digital identity and biometric technologies to deliver a seamless, contactless airport experience.”
Acknowledging India’s emergence as a global leader in digital travel, Kim Macaulay, Chief Information and Data Officer, IATA, added, “This proof‑of‑concept shows how India’s digital identity ecosystem can be extended beyond domestic travel to enable seamless international journeys, built on globally aligned standards. The success of these trials reinforces India’s role in shaping the next phase of passenger experience transformation, with solutions that can be replicated across the world.”
George Fanthome, Chief Technical Officer, Bangalore International Airport, stated, “These new trials align with the airport’s broader vision of enabling contactless travel at scale, where passenger‑controlled data, interoperability, and seamless experiences converge. As the ecosystem evolves, the focus will be on driving standardisation and enabling contactless journeys that can scale across other airports.”
BLR Airport has already set benchmarks in domestic passenger processing through Digi Yatra. With international passenger volumes rising, the airport is now advancing biometric‑enabled travel for international journeys, positioning itself as the only Indian airport participating in this IATA‑led global initiative alongside leading airports and airlines worldwide.
Suresh Khadakbhavi, CEO, Digi Yatra Foundation, said, “We enabled a seamless, end‑to‑end digital journey where a passenger’s identity is securely established in advance and verified across airport touchpoints using only their face. Built on Digi Yatra’s privacy‑first, consent‑led framework, this approach ensures minimal, purpose‑bound data usage.”
He added that by aligning with IATA’s One ID standards—a global initiative that allows passengers to move through airports using a single, trusted digital identity verified biometrically—Digi Yatra has demonstrated true interoperability with other international travel ecosystems. This, he said, paves the way for faster, more secure, and globally trusted travel experiences at scale.