QR Codes, UV Towers and Scanners: Airports Use Tech To Screen Flyers, Fight Covid Spread

As flight services resumed across the country on May 25 (Monday), airports in New Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai and other cities incorporated tech-based solutions to ensure social distancing to curb the spread of Covid-19.

From implementing contactless solutions to disinfecting airports using ultraviolet rays, airports are trying to control the situation which has already taken over 4000 lives.

For instance, Bengaluru airport management — Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) — has come up with a unique solution to ensure contactless journey for passengers from pre-entry check to security check and boarding, according to a report by Livemint.

In a statement, BIAL said that contactless travel is going to be the buzzword at the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru when operations resume. BIAL added that the technology will continue to enable a seamless airport journey, with greater emphasis on health and safety.

These features include a pre-entry process wherein passengers will have to carry e-boarding or printed passes while wearing face masks all the time. After this, passengers will have to undergo a thermal scan and show the health status on the Aarogya Setu application. Passengers with ‘you-are-safe’ message will be allowed to enter the airport facilities.

For the verification of boarding pass and government-issued photo ID proof, CISF personnel are using an electronic device or a magnified glass screen so that they don’t touch the documents. BIAL is also soaking the doormats with bleach to disinfect the shoes of the passengers.

Meanwhile, authorities have also installed contactless self-service kiosks where passengers can collect the baggage tag before dropping the luggage at the drop-off counter. Such kiosks are also installed at Hyderabad and Delhi airport.

The Bengaluru-airport is also using door frame metal detectors for scanning passengers. This will prevent CISF personnel from coming in direct contact with passengers while ensuring security at the airport. BIAL has suspended the stamping of the boarding pass. The airline staff are also performing thermal screening before permitting passengers on the flight.

In Hyderabad, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd. (GHIAL), which operates the Hyderabad airport, installed automatic hand sanitizer dispensers while laying out staggering seating arrangements and thermal scanning.

The airport has deployed 48 self-check-in kiosks. These kiosks, which are using QR code technology, enable contactless check-in and print boarding card and baggage tags. Passengers have to scan the QR code on their mobile phones to complete check-in.

Moreover, Delhi Airport is already using mobile towers, handheld torch and baggage tunnels that deploy ultraviolet (UV) rays to disinfect surfaces. According to Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), the UV lamps inside the mobile towers disinfect the areas at the airport.

Airport authorities manually shift these mobile towers from one area to the other in power off mode. The authorities are also equipped with handheld disinfection torches to disinfect electronic devices while UV tunnels have been installed at Terminal 3 to disinfect the luggage of passengers. Delhi airports have also installed shoe sanitiser mats at strategic places. Other precautionary measures that the Delhi airport has taken include a foot-operated sanitiser dispenser and sensor-based drinking water fountain.