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Hassle-free check-ins soon.

Ashwini Phadnis

Geneva, Dec. 13 Air travellers take heart. All that is needed are three steps to make flying an enjoyable experience.

A trial project at seven airports by the International Air Transportation Association (IATA) shows that simple changes at three points — introduction of a series of self-explanatory images designed to provide information on what to do with your laptop, whether to remove your shoes and mobile phones, among others, when going in for a security check; a dedicated preparation and repacking area for passengers to put their belongings back before and after the security check and introduction of a family lane — is all that is required to bring back the joy of flying.

“We need to bring the focus back on the passenger, especially as 2.75 billion passengers are going to be travelling with us by 2011,” the Global Head of Security, IATA, Ms Georgina Graham, told Business Line.

The changes introduced on a trial basis have seen a dramatic shift in how passengers view their travel experience. The study shows that after clearer security signs were introduced at these seven airports, 84 per cent of the passengers felt that travelling through the airports was no longer an ordeal as compared to just about 54 per cent before the changes were introduced.

The need for a dedicated family lane was thought of, as families travelling with children tend to take a longer time to prepare to go through security thereby delaying other passengers.

“The family lane can be used dynamically so at times when there are no families travelling, the lane can be used for other passengers and staff,” Ms Graham said.

However, while the project started less than six weeks ago, IATA officials are willing to name only Vancouver airport as being involved in it. The project will also be rolled out to other parts of the world next year.

“We are in talks with the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation for rolling out the programme in India although neither the date nor the airport where this will be started have been firmed up yet,” Ms Graham said.

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