Fly domestically with VNeID, less worry about crowding

Passengers stand in front of the facial recognition machine to check-in at Terminal T3 of Tan Son Nhat Airport (HCMC), on the afternoon of September 16 - Photo: TTD

Thus, in the coming time, the area domestic flights At airports, there will be no more crowds at check-in counters, nor any worries about forgetting documents at the last minute.

This is an "overhaul" of the entire ground service chain from processes, technology to the habits of tens of millions of passengers, and at the same time a test of Vietnam's ability to master technology in the digital aviation era.

Excited about domestic flights without documents

An airline company likened the old process to a road full of "toll booths". After purchasing a ticket, passengers had to check in at a counter or kiosk and present their documents, go through security and present their documents and card, and at the boarding gate, have their cards or papers scanned again.

Each "checkpoint" takes a few dozen seconds, passengers have to wait in long lines. But with the new process, most of these "toll stations" are eliminated. Passengers do not have to check in luggage, just check-in through VNeID or kiosk, face scan at security, face scan when boarding and then straight to the plane.

The person with checked baggage just stops at the drop-off counter, then enters the automated flow as usual. The difference is not just the dropping of a piece of paper, but the shift of roles from employee to system, from paper to data, from human eyes to algorithm.

Previously, the online check-in service for flights using biometrics via VneID, a platform developed by the Ministry of Public Security , was piloted from mid-April 2025 at Terminal T3 of Tan Son Nhat Airport (HCMC) and Noi Bai (Hanoi). After that, the Department of Administrative Police for Social Order (C06) expanded to a series of other airports.

In fact, at airports, passengers using biometric services via VNeID are satisfied because they save a lot of time. According to Tuoi Tre's observations at airports, many passengers have had a smooth experience, although some are still confused because they are used to paperwork procedures.

At noon on a weekend afternoon at Terminal 3 of Tan Son Nhat Airport, the new lanes leading straight to the security area became bustling. Ms. Nguyen Thu Huyen (27 years old, Ho Chi Minh City) and her group of friends, carrying only hand luggage, were excited to try the "paperless lane". Opening the VNeID application linked to the Vietnam Airlines ticket, Ms. Huyen entered the facial recognition frame. "Tick!" - the door opened immediately.

"Much faster than the previous times, no need to rummage through your wallet to find your ID, no need to wait for your card to be printed. We were through the gate in just a few seconds," Ms. Huyen shared. A few steps away, Mr. Nguyen Van Bay (56 years old, from Tay Ninh ) suddenly forgot his VNeID password right in front of the gate and, out of habit, showed his ID to receive a paper card.

An airport security officer quickly approached, instructed him to restore his account, reminded him to take off his sunglasses and stand straight to face the camera. The door opened, and passengers passed through in just a few seconds. "If it weren't for the kids' help, I would have missed my flight," Mr. Bay breathed a sigh of relief.

ACV races to invest in synchronous technology

With less than 80 days until December 1, 2025, Vietnam's domestic aviation industry faces a major challenge of comprehensively converting to a paperless check-in process, using biometrics via VNeID, while the technology infrastructure is still not synchronized.

According to experts, the important issue that needs to be raised is to ensure the synchronization of the "gears" of automatic gate technology (e-gate), recognition cameras, chip-based ID readers, data transmission lines, security screening systems, airline applications and connection with VNeID.

At Tan Son Nhat and Noi Bai airports, pilots showed that passengers who do not check in save 10-15 minutes by skipping the step of presenting documents and printing cards. But at smaller airports like Con Dao or Tho Xuan, efficiency depends on stable network, good lighting, and good camera positions. A misaligned camera, glare, or blurry signage can ruin the entire experience.

The integration system between VNeID and airlines is still inconsistent, leading to errors such as the machine not recognizing or needing maintenance. "Just one bad experience can easily make passengers "hesitant" and return to traditional procedures," said a business.

Speaking to Tuoi Tre, the leader of Vietnam Airports Corporation (ACV) said that this unit is directly operating ground services at 17 airports. The rate of passengers using VNeID recorded strong growth, fluctuating between 30 - 50%. In August 2025 alone, Con Dao and Can Tho reached 50% of passengers checking in via VneID, a quite high rate.

With the Prime Minister's new directive, ACV said it and its units are putting all their efforts into meeting the schedule. However, the import and installation of high-tech systems such as e-gate, recognition cameras, dual backup transmission lines, etc. cannot be completed in a day or two. "We are sprinting to reach the finish line on time," an ACV leader emphasized.

Although not disclosed, according to this person, the investment cost is certainly not small. The entire system includes automatic gates, AI cameras, integrated software and training of a team of "digital assistants" at the airport. In return, the long-term effectiveness is quite clear: reducing the need for seasonal staff, increasing gate speed, increasing the rate of on-time boarding and lowering the cost of handling each passenger.

"For ACV, synchronous infrastructure is a launching pad for many new digital services, raising the position of Vietnamese aviation in the digital age. The biometric system will become the foundation for developing smart services, from passenger management to optimizing the entire airport operation," he affirmed.

How are airlines preparing?

Speaking to Tuoi Tre, Mr. Dang Anh Tuan, Deputy General Director of Vietnam Airlines, said that this unit has coordinated with C06 and ACV, successfully testing at Terminal T1 of Noi Bai Airport and Terminal T3 of Tan Son Nhat Airport since April 19, before expanding to Da Nang, Cam Ranh, Cat Bi, Phu Quoc, and Phu Bai.

The technical infrastructure, human resources and security coordination mechanism are ready for widespread deployment. According to Mr. Tuan, the airline has set up multiple channels to support check-in counters, websites, social networks, hotlines, detailed instructions for registering for VNeID level 2, linking tickets and using biometrics. The pilot results show that the system fully meets security and safety requirements.

Vietjet also said it has prepared resources in terms of equipment and personnel to guide passengers through flight check-in procedures via VNeID, reducing check-in procedures at the counter. However, to date, only Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet support online check-in via VNeID (Vietjet has not yet applied it at Terminal T1 of Tan Son Nhat Airport due to the lack of automatic doors), while passengers still have to do traditional check-in procedures with the remaining airlines.

An airline representative said that in the early days, the number of passengers using the "paperless flight" service was still limited because many people had not upgraded their VNeID to level 2 (requiring facial authentication). Some passengers were not familiar with the three-step process: check-in (online or at the counter), go through security using facial recognition, and boarding using facial recognition.

Therefore, according to many experts, ACV and airlines need to strengthen guidance, arrange automatic arrow signs, mark correct standing positions, and speakers reminding people to remove masks and sunglasses. "Technology first aid" desks are located right in front of the security area, quickly handling common problems: forgotten passwords, unlinked tickets, and incorrect identification posture.

In particular, according to aviation experts, it is necessary to support groups of elderly passengers, workers far from home or passengers who do not use smartphones to carry out online procedures through the new channel normally. ACV needs to invest and deploy instructions at the airport, which also need to be designed large, clear and consistent between ports, to avoid the situation of "each place has its own style".

This preparation is to help passengers get familiar with the process in a snap, avoiding congestion. "In addition, airlines need to proactively guide passengers by sending personalized SMS and emails according to flight routes, with clear instructions. Passengers who "test fly" VNeID will be rewarded with nice seats or priority boarding, and encouraged to experience...", an expert suggested.

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/bay-noi-dia-cung-vneid-bot-lo-chen-lan-3376204.html