Bengaluru airport introduces ’contactless journey’ to contain Covid-19

The Bengaluru airport management is introducing a unique feature of parking-to-boarding contactless journey for the passengers as the domestic flight resumes from Monday.

In order to contain coronavirus transmission among passengers and staff, the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) introduced the new feature of contactless journey right from pre-entry check to security check and boarding.

"Contactless would be the buzzword at the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru when operations resume from May 25," the BIAL said in a statement on Sunday.

With greater emphasis on minimum touch and minimum exposure between passengers and airport personnel, BIAL aims to minimise all physical contact at the airport.

The technology will continue to enable a seamless airport journey, with greater emphasis on health and safety, the statement said.

"We have introduced innovative contactless procedures to minimise exposure at the airport," Hari Marar, managing director and chief executive officer of BIAL, said. "These enhancements demonstrate our continued commitment to keep our passengers safe in this environment."

According to the BIAL, the features include pre-entry process, where the passengers have to wear masks and carry e-boarding or printed passes.

The travellers will undergo thermal scan and will have to show that the Aarogya Setu app on the passengers mobile phone has the 'you-are-safe' message.

"CISF personnel will verify the boarding pass and Government-issued Photo ID using an electronic device or through a magnified glass screen," it said.

The doormats will be soaked with bleach at the terminal entrance to disinfect the shoes, the BIAL said.

There will be contactless self-service kiosk where the passengers will collect the baggage tag before proceeding to the airline counter to drop-off luggage.

A transparent partition has been installed at the airport, to ensure the safety of both airline staff and passenger at the airline bag drop counters.

Under the new contactless process, body scanning will be done using door frame metal detectors.

Stamping of the boarding pass has been suspended, as directed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the BIAL said.

Before boarding, the airline staff will once again do thermal screening and then permit boarding.