An Indian traveller’s experience at a US airport has left many concerned. While flying with his family using newly issued chip-enabled Indian passports, his father’s passport kept triggering repeated alerts at multiple American airports.
Security Scans Keep Failing
Each time he approached airport security, the scanner failed to read the passport correctly. The system immediately raised an alert, forcing a supervisor to intervene and verify his identity manually before allowing him through.
Repeated Trouble Across Airports
The issue didn’t stop at one location. Similar errors occurred at different airports, hinting that the e-passport’s embedded chip might be malfunctioning. The repeated scanning failures made the journey frustrating for the entire family.
E-Passport Rollout in India
The Indian e-passports were introduced in May this year. Each document carries an RFID chip and antenna that securely store personal data, including the holder’s photograph and key passport details.
When Technology Slows You Down
E-passports are designed to make immigration faster. But as this incident shows, any mismatch in chip reading can lead to repeated manual checks and delays. The family ended up trapped in a pattern of scans, alerts, and verifications.
Concerns for Future Travellers
The repeated glitches have raised questions among frequent flyers about the reliability of India’s new e-passports. Travellers worry that similar errors could cause unnecessary delays during international security checks.
