Chennai Airport News: Digi Yatra Trials Begin for International Flyers
Chennai Airport News
Chennai airport has joined the Digi Yatra trials for international passengers. Indian e-passport holders flying abroad from Chennai can now use facial recognition to clear terminal entry, security checks and boarding. The trials began on November 1.
The trial covers international travel and will run until December 31, 2026. To begin with, it includes two IndiGo flights:
- Chennai to Dubai (6E 1471)
- Chennai to Colombo (6E 1179)
Airport sources said more airlines and destinations will be added in phases.
Chennai is one of seven airports where the facility is being tested. The others are Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin and Amritsar. Feedback from the trials will be used to plan a wider rollout in 2027.
To use the facility, passengers must first create an e-passport-based Verifiable Credential on the Digi Yatra app. The steps are:
- Scan the machine-readable zone of the passport.
- Read the passport’s embedded chip using the smartphone’s NFC feature.
- Take a selfie for verification.
The credential is stored in the passenger’s Digi Yatra wallet. It can then be used at the enabled touchpoints in the airport.
The trial is voluntary, so passengers do not have to join. It is open only to Indian citizens who hold chip-enabled e-passports. Passengers without such a passport cannot use this facility.
The trial does not replace airline document checks or immigration procedures. Passengers must still carry their travel documents with them. Facial recognition only speeds up certain steps at the airport, such as entry, security and boarding.
Airport staff known as Digi Buddies will help passengers register and use the system, sources said. This can be useful for people who are using the app for the first time or are not comfortable with such technology.
Queues at airports can be long, especially for international flights. Using face recognition can reduce the time spent showing documents again and again. It may also make airport journeys smoother and more convenient.
Passengers who fly on the trial flights can try the facility and share their feedback. The results will help decide how Digi Yatra works for international travel in the coming years.
Ajeet Yadav is an aviation enthusiast covering airline news, airports, aircraft, and industry developments through well-researched and reliable reporting.
