NEW DELHI: Air travellers will no longer need to get their hand bag stamped with "security checked" at seven major airports- Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Cochin.

The aviation ministry is keen to extend no-stampimg to more airports. The aim then is to stop stamping boarding cards too and take the next step to introduce biometric boarding.

In a major relief to flyers, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) Thursday issued an order doing away with stamping hand bag tags with "immediate effect." Issued with approval of BCAS chief Rajesh Kumar Chandra, the aviation security circular (4/2017) says,

"The present system of stamping hand baggage tags at pre-embarkation security check points for seven airports... shall be dispensed with immediate effect."

The BCAS and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) had carried out non stamping at several airports for domestic flyers late last year. That trial was done successfully and a final decision was to be taken after Republic Day.

The aviation ministry is keen to extend no-stampimg to more airports. The aim then is to stop stamping boarding cards too and take the next step to introduce biometric boarding.