There is “no firm plan” to introduce a biometric system for boarding planes, Union minister Jayant Sinha said in the Rajya Sabha today. The statement comes a month after the Ministry of Civil Aviation said within three to four months, it would be mandatory for air travellers in the country to provide unique identification (UID) like Aadhaar card, passport or PAN, at the time of booking tickets.
The plan mooted last month emphasised that those who opt for biometric identification through Aadhaar would be able to zip through the airport faster through iris and finger scans, compared to passengers who use other forms of digital identification.
“There is no firm proposal for introduction of biometric system for boarding flights in the country,” Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said in response to question. The minister also said that a new set of rules or Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) will be prepared by the government which will state that a UID is a mandatory requirement at the time of booking a flight ticket.