SpiceJet introduces paperless boarding at Shillong Airport

Shillong: SpiceJet, on Tuesday, announced the introduction of a paperless boarding process at Shillong Airport in Meghalaya.

Under the new system, passengers checking in at airport counters will receive their boarding passes directly on WhatsApp, reducing reliance on physical printouts. 

The initiative is powered by the airline’s indigenously developed Web Departure Control System (WEBDCS), a browser-based platform that enables check-in staff to issue digital boarding passes through WhatsApp or email. Baggage tags can also be issued via SMS, using tablets or standard airport check-in computers.

According to the airline, SpiceJet is the first carrier to provide WhatsApp-based boarding passes directly at airport counters. The move is aimed at streamlining passenger processing while cutting down on paper use.

Highlighting the environmental aspect, the airline noted that despite the availability of web check-in options and initiatives like Digi Yatra, more than 9 million boarding passes were printed at Indian airports in June 2025 alone. This printing, it added, accounted for an estimated 6 tonnes of carbon emissions.

By rolling out paperless boarding at Shillong Airport, SpiceJet is aligning its operations with wider industry efforts to promote sustainable practices in aviation, while offering passengers a more convenient digital alternative.