IndiGo and Partners Conduct Contactless International Travel Trials in Bengaluru

Contactless travel trials demonstrate biometric journey at Bengaluru airport

IndiGo, in partnership with Digi Yatra Foundation, Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), has conducted technical trials of a contactless international travel process at Kempegowda International Airport.

The trials demonstrated an integrated travel flow, covering ticketing, booking management and a biometric-enabled passenger journey across airport touchpoints. The initiative forms part of IATA’s global programme to test contactless international travel processes in key markets.

Earlier in the year, IndiGo and Digi Yatra Foundation had introduced a Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI)-based system using biometric technology for contactless passenger processing. This included app-based integration that enables the sharing of boarding passes between platforms.

Building on this framework, the recent trials have explored how the system can be extended to international travel. The demonstration focused on validating the feasibility of using digital identity and biometric verification across different stages of the airport journey.

Neetan Chopra, Chief Digital and Information Officer at IndiGo, said the trials highlight the potential of digital identity systems to support a more streamlined airport experience, adding that the collaboration marks progress from concept testing towards broader implementation.

Kim Macaulay, Chief Information and Data Officer at IATA, noted that the trials reflect the potential of digital identity systems to support international travel processes aligned with global standards.

George Fanthome, Chief Technical Officer at BIAL, said the airport is continuing to develop a biometric-led travel ecosystem, with a focus on interoperability and passenger-controlled data.

Suresh Khadakbhavi, CEO of Digi Yatra Foundation, added that the trials demonstrated a digital journey where passenger identity can be securely established and verified using biometric data, supported by a consent-based framework.

Kempegowda International Airport has been among the early adopters of biometric processing for domestic travel and is now extending these capabilities to international operations as part of this initiative.