Aviation IT specialist, SITA, is collaborating with Indicio, an open-source verifiable data technology and digital ecosystems specialist, to accelerate the development and deployment of digital identities for travel.
The co-innovation agreement will see the two companies drive innovation in open-source, decentralised identity technologies to enable seamless and privacy-preserving processes in the airport. The development of Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) will enable passengers to securely create a digital version of their physical passport in line with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. The DTC is stored as a verifiable credential in the passenger’s mobile wallet, meaning they keep control of their personal data and consent to share as needed.
The agreement follows a successful collaboration with the Government of Aruba, which has already trialled this technology. Passengers arriving at Queen Beatrix International Airport applied for their travel authorisation using a simplified process that eliminated the need to enter information from paper travel documents manually. Passengers with a DTC could consent to share any of their relevant data directly from their digital wallet on their mobile device to multiple entities, from the government at the port of entry to hotels and even car rental companies.
Jeremy Springall, SVP of SITA AT BORDERS, said: “The adoption of digital identities will be the biggest technology breakthrough in the travel industry in decades. It will simplify the identification process at every step of the journey and open up opportunities for the air transport industry to fully embrace the benefits of seamless travel and the digital economy. SITA, together with Indicio, are proud to be be leading the change.”
Springall was joined by Heather Dahl, CEO of Indicio, who added, “The horizon has expanded, filled with a myriad of applications. With SITA’s DTC using Indicio-Proven technology, we will make all these applications a reality for passengers, aircrew, airports, borders, hotels and governments. We are excited about what this partnership can build and deliver.”
