In anticipation of the upcoming festive season, the civil aviation ministry has unveiled a comprehensive strategy to enhance airport facilities and streamline operations to prevent potential congestion and ensure a seamless travel experience for passengers. The move comes in response to the challenges faced during the previous festive season, which saw significant crowding and extended wait times at major airports.
The ministry's approach includes the deployment of additional Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, X-ray machines, and check-in counters at airports across the country. These measures are specifically designed to address the bottlenecks that led to congestion last year. The efforts are part of an overarching plan to augment the existing security infrastructure and facilitate smoother passenger flow through various touchpoints.
As a result of the new measures, passengers can expect to encounter a more efficient and streamlined process, from check-in to security screening and boarding. The deployment of additional CISF personnel will help manage passenger flow and maintain security. At the same time, the introduction of more X-ray machines and check-in counters will contribute to faster and smoother processing.
To further enhance the passenger experience, the ministry plans to utilise social media platforms to provide real-time updates and information. This digital approach will empower travellers with the latest information about processing capacity enhancements and expansions of security check areas. Such real-time updates will enable passengers to make more informed decisions and better plan their journeys. "Information regarding enhancement in processing capacity and expansion of security check areas will also be communicated," a release added.
In collaboration with airport operators, the ministry has also undertaken actions to improve terminal infrastructure. This includes increasing the number of X-ray machines, installing additional entry gates, and restructuring terminal layouts to expand capacity. Besides that, 2D barcode scanners have been installed at every entry gate to help with automated entry. According to the press release by the ministry, airlines have also been informed to have the barcodes on tickets issued to passengers so that the scanners could easily read at the security gates, enabling a smoother entry process.