New norms soon to buy air tickets

New Delhi: Within the next four months, the government plans to put in place a system in which all those booking air tickets will have to mandatorily give either Aadhaar, passport or PAN card number that will be linked to the PNR number in the booking. However, airlines have voiced concerns to the government over data protection issues, which the government said it would address. Sources said there were concerns over “privacy issues” on passenger data, which is why the government is likely to tread a cautious path to ensure confidentiality on information submitted by passengers from either of three documents. More clarity is likely once the modalities are worked out.

The government has constituted a technical committee and will act on its recommendations to devise rules for a seamless digital experience, in which passengers will have to show their unique identity number code (from any of three documents) on their mobile phones or biometric identity and can even check in baggage digitally. Passengers who want to check in and collect boarding passes manually at counters could also do so.

“It will be a pull experience, not a push one,” minister of state for civil aviation Jayant Sinha told reporters on Thursday, explaining that if passengers do not want to avail of the proposed digital experience that will cut the time they spend in queues at airports by half, they can also manually pick up boarding cards and check in their luggage at the counters.

Mr Sinha said the government will constitute a technical committee comprising three to four members who will bring out a draft white paper on “putting in place a security architecture” for a seamless digital experience for passengers at airports. A couple of months after that, the government will put in place new rules for the digital experience. But the government has to ensure installation of the requisite electronic equipment at airports, with the airport operators expected to bear the costs.     The move is planned initially at the major airports, with Bengaluru and Hyderabad airports already ushering in a digital experience on a pilot basis for some or all passengers, according to ministry officials.

In a statement, the civil aviation ministry said it would introduce a “Digital Experience for Air Travellers” via a “DigiYatra Platform”.

The ministry said: “All aviation stakeholders — airlines, airport operators, security and immigration agencies, cab operators, retail establishments and others — are working to devise digital standards which can enable seamless exchange of data and information.”