SpiceJet announces the successful rollout of a paperless boarding process at Shillong airport, offering passengers a faster, greener, and more seamless check-in experience. With this new feature, passengers checking in at the airport counter will now receive their boarding pass on WhatsApp, eliminating the need for physical printouts.
This initiative significantly reduces wait times at check-in and supports eco-conscious travel by cutting down on paper usage. It is part of SpiceJet’s broader commitment to sustainability and digital innovation – and marks the first time an airline has introduced WhatsApp-based boarding passes at airport check-in counters.
In spite of web check-in being available to customers and initiatives such as Digi Yatra, more than 9 million boarding passes were still printed at airports in India in June 2025. This would have led to about 6 tonnes of carbon emissions. SpiceJet’s initiative is designed to eliminate the above avoidable carbon footprint of the aviation industry.
The paperless boarding feature is enabled by SpiceJet’s indigenously developed Web Departure Control System (WEBDCS) – a browser-based platform that allows check-in staff to issue digital boarding passes via WhatsApp or email,and baggage tags via SMS using tablets or the standard airport check-in computer. This not only streamlines the check-in process but also enhances operational efficiency.
SpiceJet plans to extend this paperless boarding experience to other airports across India.
GP Gupta, Chief Strategy Officer, SpiceJet, said, “At SpiceJet, we are constantly working to enhance the travel experience for our passengers while embracing sustainability. The introduction of paperless boarding at Shillong Airport is a significant step in that direction. We look forward to expanding this convenience-driven initiative across more airports in the near future.”
