CIAL becomes a first in International Digiyatra

Kochi: Cochin International Airport Ltd. has become the first airport in the country to facilitate international passenger processing through DigiYatra, with the first passenger travelling on an IndiGo flight to the Maldives on Tuesday. The facility, trialled for select airlines, uses electronic passports (e-passports) and biometric facial recognition to verify passengers and reduce reliance on physical documents at designated checkpoints.

DigiYatra was introduced for domestic passengers at CIAL on August 15, 2023. Since its introduction, the facility has gained wider acceptance, with one in every three domestic passengers using DigiYatra for their journeys through the airport. The system is powered by an in-house e-boarding software developed by CIAL’s Technology and Innovation team. Having developed the technology architecture for its operations, CIAL now envisages extending the service to other airports through consultancy, enabling them to benefit from its technological expertise and experience.

The company recently launched Aviation Consultancy and Expert Services (ACES), which was inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister and CIAL Chairman VD Satheesan. Durgapur Airport is the first client for CIAL’s consultancy services, for which a Passenger Verification System developed in-house by CIAL will be provided. 

“The successful extension of DigiYatra to international departures reflects CIAL’s commitment to developing innovative, technology-driven solutions for air travel. Through Aviation Consultancy and Expert Services (ACES), we aim to extend such in-house capabilities to other airports and contribute to the wider adoption of technology-driven solutions in the aviation sector,” CIAL Managing Director S Suhas IAS said.