Almost all airlines offer web check-in for travel, domestic as well as international. However, security regulations in India are slightly funny, which means when travelling domestic, you need to get the boarding pass validated by an airline official who cross checks with your ID and stamps the BP, and the proceed for security check.
However, a reader Pranay brought my attention to this news article today, published in a national daily, which states that the airport operator has simplified the process:
From September 1, the Mumbai airport operator has scrapped the procedure wherein passengers, who had opted for a web check-in, had to get printouts of their boarding cards stamped at the airline check-in counters.
I’ll be taking a few flights later this month so will validate the process myself, but if this is really a requirement of the airport and not the CISF (the paramilitary organisation which provides security at all Indian airports), then I am sure more airports in India should follow suit soon!
Live From A Lounge is present on Facebook, Twitter & available via email, RSS.
My 2p worth:
Sometime in May this year, I was doing a fair bit at Indian airports, and at one point I was pleasantly surprised to hear that the airline counter did not have to stamp the printed web check-in boarding pass. This lasted about a month, and they brought it on. Apparently it was at the request of CISF.
Let’s see how long does it last this time around. Personally, iWeb check in but collect BP on the counter so no dice for me
real progress will be achieved when they just accept a mobile/digital check-in to enter the terminal..CISF jawans actually allowed me to enter ranchi airport when i showed them my boarding pass that was on my phone in my yahoo email and that too as an attachment..best/worst part was that it was on a nokia e71 device in which i opened an attachment..the jawan happily let me through..even railways have progressed and are anti-paper…when will the airlines catch up..i wonder
@wannabrb, CISF is the culprit here. they don’t understand technology hence they want to see paper printouts even though they can be faked easily. Airports and airlines don’t need the paper anymore, just your ID