Mumbai, Dec 15: The country is still recovering from the massive aviation meltdown that was witnessed in the first week of December due to IndiGo’s severe operational disruptions, with hundreds of passengers still awaiting receipt of their misplaced baggage.
However, India is likely to see biometric identification for luggage bags very soon, which will reduce the proportion of misplaced luggage as well as speed up its tracking and delivery.
SITA In Talks With Indian Airlines
Global aviation-tech company SITA is in talks with Indian airlines to implement ‘Computer Vision’ — a biometrics system for the identification of baggage checked in before boarding a flight.
While baggage tags help an airline or a ground handling agency identify a bag and designate it to be loaded on its respective flight, the new technology is being developed to identify bags in case their tags are damaged or for quicker delivery in cases of misplacement.
Technology Under Trial With IndiGo, Air India
At a media round table organised in Mumbai on Monday, SITA executives revealed that Computer Vision is under trial and that the company is in talks with IndiGo and Air India to implement the technology.
The system identifies luggage bags through multiple unique data points, such as appearance and weight, among others. It can also identify minute scratches that act as unique identification marks on bags that are visually similar.
Airports Need Infrastructure Upgrades
Sumesh Patel, president for Asia Pacific at SITA, said, “Airports will need to invest in infrastructure, including additional high-quality cameras, to support the technology, whereas airlines will need to include it in their baggage processing. We are in active discussions with both the major airlines and will soon see them onboard.”
SITA’s Expanding Footprint in India
SITA provides its aviation technology deployments to over 1,000 airports across the world, including 61 airports in India, and over 18,000 aircraft, with common-use passenger processing systems, common-use self-service, and baggage reconciliation systems.
Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport uses SITA passenger processing and operational systems, while the soon-to-be-operational Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) has integrated 22 self-bag-drop units manufactured by SITA.
Digital Identity May Extend Beyond Aviation
The global aviation tech company, which is owned by airlines from across the globe, is also working on expanding DigiYatra-like digital identification technology to railways as well as maritime modes.
The system is already under trial in Singapore, where people can use a single ticket to travel from Changi Airport to the Singapore Cruise Terminal. According to SITA, discussions are underway with authorities for its implementation in India.
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‘Decoupling Bags From Travel’ Concept
Sanjeev K, vice president for Asia Pacific at SITA, said, “This system helps passengers decouple their bags from travel. Passengers can scan their biometrics while placing their luggage on the hotel’s baggage trolley and seamlessly transfer across various points using the same identification method. It can also be used to visit tourist places where the identification details can be integrated.”
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