Chennai Airport

Biometric Boarding Process Soon To Be Introduced At Indian Airports!

The Airports Authority of India(AAI) will soon be introducing Biometric Access System to make the Boarding process for passengers more convenient.

This System will be introduced as a Pilot project at 3 Indian Airports such as Varanasi and Vijayawada. It is believed that AAI has chosen Kolkata as the third airport for the pilot project.

The AAI will soon be inviting bids from the interested parties for this system according to its Chairman, Mr Guruprasad Mohapatra. He Has also said that they will soon be issuing tenders and the project should start in the next 6 to 7 months.

This initiative is being taken due to the changing profile of air passengers in the country and the safety challenges that come along with it. This technology will play a huge part in taking on such challenges.

The 3 Airports mentioned above have been chosen as an initiative for the Digi Yatra wherein the Aadhar details of the passenger will be used for biometric-enabled boarding process. Under this initiative, the civil aviation ministry will make boarding pass and security check-in digital. The idea is to safely identify travellers through Aadhaar number, passport or other documents.

The Biometric boarding system has had a positive effect on an airport’s security system all around the world. The introduction of such a technology in India will streamline the security process at airports by making it easier on the airport authorities to keep a track of security and making passengers feel safer when they get on a flight.

Read More

The Immigration Process At Delhi Airport Is Set To Get A Lot Smoother!

Delhi airport became the 7th busiest airport last year after it handled more than 63.5 million passengers. Standing in the immigration queue at such busy airport can often get under your skin. All that is about to change!

Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi will be introducing E-Immigration gates to reduce the time taken to board the flight.

Here are all the details about the New E-Immigration gates at IGI, New Delhi-

  • The Technology will be introduced on a trial basis for 2 months at the arrivals section
  • The E-Immigration gates will scan and read your passport information
  • They will have a face recognition technology where your face will be captured using a High Accuracy Camera
  • The gates will automatically swing open after scanning details
  • Initially, 2 such gates will be installed
  • As many as 40 gates could be eventually installed this year

According to officials “travellers who are considered as low-risk will be approved and verified by agencies and can go through by the machine. A database of passengers who travel abroad on a regular basis will be made.

Under the current process, with manual stamping and checking of passports, the passenger clears his immigration process in about 10 minutes.With the New E-Immigration Gates, a passenger will take only 15 seconds to clear immigration.

The installation of E- immigration gates is a great initiative by the airport. It will reduce the waiting time for passengers and will have a positive impact on the airport staff as well as the passengers.

Read More

Republic Day Flight Cancellations Causing Confusion? Let Us Help!

Flying during the Republic day weekend? In case you haven’t heard, more than 700 flights all through Delhi are being cancelled between the 18th and 26th of January. This is because the Indian Air Force assumes control over the airspace to get ready for the Republic Day Celebrations. These cancellations will also affect domestic flights operating from other airports besides Delhi.

Airspace closure’s following Republic Day celebrations are not new. In any case, up until this point, carriers were just requested to reschedule flights. This is the first occasion when they will be cancelling flights. This implies, more than 100 flights all through Delhi will be cancelled every day. That could mean cancellation of more than 700 flights over the seven days of closure, influencing more than 10,000 travellers every day.

To help affected and confused passengers we at AirWhizz bring you all the facts and figures that you need to know to replan your flight schedule following the “Republic Day” week.

Day’s and Timing of Flight Cancellations

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has issued an advisory that no departures or arrivals would be permitted to or from Delhi airport between 10.30 am and 12.15 pm for 7 days between January 18-26 (except 19 and 25), as per air terminal sources.

International Flights Not Affected

The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), which operates IGI Airport, says no global flights will be crossed out. Only domestic flights are being cancelled—international flights in and out of Delhi are being rescheduled.

How Airline’s Are Helping Passengers

Domestic Airlines have released detailed information for the flights that are going to be cancelled.  IndiGo’s travel advisory also confirms the cancellations and allows passengers to select alternative flights at no extra cost.

You can check the details of flights cancelled by clicking on the links below:

Vistara’s Cancelled flight details –  Click to get Details

GoAir’s Cancelled flight details –  Click to get Details

IndiGo’s Cancelled flight details – Click to get Details

JetAirways cancelled Flight details – Click to get details

Others are yet to announce what flights have been influenced and what options they are putting forth for the travellers. Airlines are sending sms and email to their passengers regarding flight cancellations, therefore, you should check your phone from time to time.

Know Your Rights

According to rules, if your flight is cancelled under 2 weeks and up to a day prior to movement, the airline is required to put you on another flight within 2 hours of the planned take-off. In any case, that may not hold as these conditions are outside their ability to control.

Issues You May Face as a Passenger

  1. If your flight is planned around these timings, it is very likely that your flight will be cancelled or re-directed to another airport.
  2. When airlines affirm these cancellations, the selected flights on the course will see a rise in demand thus driving ticket costs higher.
  3. As entries and flights get grouped, it could mean longer lines at security and at the gates.
  4. An added disadvantage will be the intensity of fog that befalls Delhi during those days.

This news will definitely cause you to rethink your travel plans but we hope that this article will help you plan your travel better for this week.

You can also simply add your flight to the AirWhizz app and check the status of your flight which are operating. The cancelled flights information can be obtained from the airlines.

As an added advantage to you, we at AirWhizz will get you real-time flight updates, airport and airline travel information and details of cancelled flights to your mobile phone so that you can save time on planning your trip. Download the AirWhizz app and Fly Stress-free!

Read More

A Foodies Guide to the Mumbai Airport!

The Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport, unlike any other airport, is not just a culmination of room fresheners. It is a collage of flavoursome culinary scents where famished passengers may find themselves transported even before stepping onto the plane. 

This airport assistant gives you a list of five best places to eat at the second busiest airport in India. 

 [···]

Read More

Your hassle free guide to the Bangalore Airport – Kempegowda Airport

Refreshingly,  Bangalore airport is one of the cleanest and efficient airports in India. It offers many delights to the air passenger whose feet have not yet left the ground.

This is a guide through the many eateries, shopping, lounge, spa and services spread across the Bangalore Airport.

“After a good dinner, one can forgive anybody.” Oscar Wilde.

If only Airlines tried putting this policy to the test.

 [···]

Read More

Top 3 Reasons Why Delhi Airport is the Most Difficult to Reach

A study conducted by the School of Planning and Architecture lists the Delhi airport as toughest to reach, compared to 60 other world cities, in terms of air connectivity, ground accessibility, reliability, and speed. Listed below are three reasons why a frequent flyer must assess which mode of transport creates more value for your time.  [···]

Read More