Enter airport with soft copy of ticket

Making entry into the Delhi airport a hassle-free affair, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has started allowing passengers with just a soft copy of the e-ticket, reports Faizan Haider.

Making entry into the Delhi airport a hassle-free affair, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has started allowing passengers with just a soft copy of the e-ticket.

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Though the new system was introduced on January 1, both at the Delhi and Mumbai airports, many people aren’t aware of this new development.

It is not uncommon to see travellers rushing to shops at the last minute to get a printout of their tickets.

The CISF, which is responsible for securing the airport, is also in the process of training its staff to check soft copies on smartphones or gadgets such as tablets and notepads.

“There are a number of people who are still not aware of this facility. On an average, only 500 of one lakh passengers reach the airport with a soft copy of the ticket every day. Also, there have been times when our officers faced difficulty in checking tickets on smartphones or notepads as they are not tech-savvy. We have arranged training for them on how to check the soft copy of a ticket,” said a senior CISF official, requesting anonymity.

However, the CISF has made it clear that only the soft copy of the original ticket will be treated as original and not sketchy details on SMS.

“Passengers showing text messages with details of the ticket will not be allowed to enter the airport,” the officer added.

On an average, Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport handles 1 lakh passengers and 50% of them use the airport for departure every day.

They have to carry a printout of the ticket and if they forget, airlines charge them Rs. 50 to Rs. 100 per page for printing an e-ticket.