South Africans could kiss passports and boarding passes goodbye at airports

New airport laws aim to replace physical passports and boarding passes with a smartphone-based system at airports worldwide, including South Africa. 

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has proposed replacing physical boarding passes and passports with a so-called “digital travel credential” (DTC).

The ICAO DTC combines physical and digital security features to support efficient and secure traveller processing. 

The organisation explained that these features consist of the DTC Virtual Component and the DTC Physical Component. 

“The DTC Virtual Component (DTC‐VC) is the digital representation of the passport’s data, cryptographically linked to the issuing authority (i.e. digitally signed by the issuer),” it said.

Verifiers can then check the digital signature to confirm the credential is authentic and has not been altered.

The DTC Physical Component (DTC‐PC) is a carrier for the DTC‐VC and serves as a physical authenticator. The ICAO explained that this will be the app or device used to carry the DTC. 

“The DTC will be on travellers’ smartphones and employ facial recognition technology to verify their identities every step of the way,” it said. 

This will allow individuals to travel between airports at their home and end destinations without stopping or showing a travel document.

The ICAO argues that implementing such systems will speed up airport processes and reduce identity fraud.

The ICAO is a United Nations agency guided by its Member States. It establishes standards, practices, and policies related to air travel to improve facilitation and security. 

Andy Smith, Director of Industry and Innovation at Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques (SITA), supports the global shift towards a digital travel credential (DTC).

Speaking on the proposal, Smith said the industry has been moving in this direction for some time. “This transformation is not just a future aspiration but is already being implemented in various forms, such as eVisas,” he said.

Smith pointed out that increasing complexity in international travel, such as the need for electronic travel authorisations (ETAs), visas, and repeated identity checks, has made the traditional process cumbersome. 

He said the industry aims to simplify this by enabling travellers to complete much of the airport and airline processing “at home in a relaxed and comfortable environment where there’s often less time pressure.”

Central to this effort is creating a secure digital version of the passport, stored on a traveller’s phone and developed in line with standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). 

This digital passport can then be linked with visas and other travel authorisations, letting travellers know they are fully prepared even before heading to the airport. 

“You’re going to have a seamless experience through the airport,” he added, “and more importantly, when you get to your destination, you’re going to have a very simplified arrival experience.”

Not mandatory

Despite its aim of making the travel experience between airports more efficient and less cumbersome for travellers, Smith noted that the digital alternative will be optional. 

“The system does rely on smartphone technology, particularly features like facial recognition and the ability to read the chip embedded in modern passports,” he said.  

Therefore, Smith acknowledged that not everyone will be able or willing to use this technology. 

“We’re always, as an industry, going to have to make sure that we allow airlines, airports, and border authorities to deal with those travellers that need additional help,” he said. 

At the same time, the DTC will allow for the efficient processing of the “vast majority of travellers that represent no harm or risk to a government.”

While some aspects, like passport and security checks, will remain, Smith emphasised that automation and intelligence improve overall efficiency. 

“We operate in an industry that is the target of serious organised crime,” he said. “The security has become much more intelligent and faster for everybody.”

Ultimately, Smith believes that enabling travellers to share a secure, digital version of their identity, when and with whom they choose, is key to accelerating and improving immigration procedures. 

“That will enable the immigration authorities to process your data earlier in the journey,” he said. 

“We need security. We need immigration controls. This is a way of enabling that to happen much faster.”However, he stressed that adopting a DTC would be entirely optional. 

“This will very much be voluntary,” he said, drawing a parallel with people who still prefer physical documents over smartphones due to concerns about digital overreach. 

“Despite growing technological integration in travel, passengers will retain the choice to opt out,” he said. 

The ICAO also said that although the DTC will improve travel facilitation, travellers will still need physical passports for years to come to comply with regulations and as a backup.