India is planning tighter airport security measures following the Flydubai cockpit incident that put the safety of 174 passengers at risk. The government is moving toward mandatory facial biometric verification for airport and airline employees and is accelerating the rollout of full-body scanners at major airports.
Facial Recognition for Airport Employees
The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) plans to make Aerodrome Entry Permits fully digital and link them with facial recognition technology. These permits are issued to personnel who need access to restricted airport areas.
Around 15 lakh airport and airline employees and other personnel receive such entry permits every year. The proposed digital system would allow authorities to verify an employee’s identity through facial biometrics instead of relying only on physical entry cards.
The digital system is expected to be rolled out across 169 airports in the country. Officials have said it could make the approval and monitoring process faster, while allowing centralized tracking of applications.
Full-Body Scanners at Eight Airports
The government is also fast-tracking the installation of full-body scanners at eight major airports. The airports approved for the scanners include Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi and Ahmedabad.
According to officials, machines have already reached three of the eight airports, while installation at the remaining five is expected to be completed soon. Authorities are also collecting and analyzing data from the scanners before wider deployment.
The scanners are designed to detect concealed objects, including items that may not be detected easily by conventional metal detectors. To address privacy concerns, the systems are expected to generate a generic 3D body image rather than displaying an actual image of the passenger.
Why India Is Reviewing Airport Security
The measures come after a serious incident aboard a Flydubai Boeing 737 MAX flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. On September 30, the co-pilot allegedly attacked and stabbed the captain inside the cockpit during the flight. Other crew members and passengers became involved as the situation developed, and the aircraft eventually made a safe emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
Indian aviation authorities are now reviewing security procedures, including airport access controls, employee verification and passenger screening. The Civil Aviation Ministry is also considering whether a fresh security advisory should be issued to airlines following the incident.
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