Delhi airport makes special arrangements for passengers affected by fog

New Delhi: The Delhi Airport has introduced a special enclosures for the smooth processing of passengers on flights affected by fog, weather or technical issues. To alleviate passenger discomfort, the government has relaxed security protocols, allowing passengers of flights delayed by over three hours or canceled due to fog, weather or technical issues to disembark and return to the terminal. Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), a subsidiary of GMR Airports Limited, which operates and manages the Delhi Airport, has established special enclosures at all three terminals for processing of these passengers to allow them back inside the terminal. These enclosures will be located at the Bus Boarding Gates and certain aerobridges in Terminal 3, the transfer area in Terminal 2, and the bus boarding gate in Terminal 1. The facilities will serve both domestic and international passengers. Ranging from 250 to 450 square meters, these enclosures will be able to hold between 55 and 120 passengers at a time. They are intended to facilitate security screening, allowing passengers to smoothly re-enter the terminal's Security Hold Area (SHA). DIAL is also working to provide essential amenities like toilets and vending machines within the enclosures, wherever feasible. The enclosures would only be utilized as a security processing area after which the passengers would enter the SHA which will give the passengers access to all the facilities available there. Only airline staff escorting passengers from stranded flights would be permitted to enter the enclosures for security reasons. To maintain safety and security, CISF personnel will be stationed in the enclosures to screen passengers returning from delayed or stranded flights before they are allowed to join other screened passengers in the SHA. Additionally, personnel from the Private Security Agency (PSA) will verify the documents of passengers affected by the fog weather or technical issues. This arrangement would save passengers from having to undergo the security check through the normal process, wherein in such cases after disembarking, passengers are taken to arrivals and processed through Domestic or International transfer areas as the case may be before being brought back to the Security Hold Area. Bringing such passengers directly to the reverse entry point significantly reduces the time taken in the de-boarding and boarding - from approximately 2.30 hours to just a few minutes. Commenting on the initiative, CEO-DIAL, Mr. Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, CEO-DIAL, said, "DIAL has been working to enhance passengers' experience at Delhi Airport. By implementing this new initiative, DIAL aims to significantly reduce the time taken for the de-boarding and boarding process for passengers of flights affected by fog, weather or technical issues." (with Agency inputs)