Air travel in India has picked up as COVID-19 restrictions eased.
New Delhi:
Passengers may soon be able to pass through airport security without having to put laptops, phones and chargers in separate trays, easing congestion that has made headlines this month, it was announced Wednesday.
The airline’s security watchdog, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), is set to introduce a mandate within a month that will speed up the use of modern bag protection equipment without removing electronic devices, The Hindu reported.
New baggage scanners already in use at many US and European airports do not require passengers to carry their electronic devices or jackets.
“Our aim is to clear passengers faster and with better security equipment,” an official of the Union Civil Aviation Ministry was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times last week.
The new machines will first be installed at all major airports like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad and will reach other airports within a year, the report said.
The move comes after authorities scrambled to deal with a surge in travel that overwhelmed some of the country’s busiest airports last week, prompting calls for more staff and security equipment.
Passengers spent hours going through check-in and security at the main domestic and international terminals of Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, leading to some flight delays.
Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia visited the airport and more x-ray machines and staff were added at Terminal 3.
He said additional measures were also being taken at other airports, including Mumbai and Bengaluru.
“In the last 24 to 36 hours, all agencies have taken action to ease congestion at all checkpoints at major airports. Congestion at entry points and check-in counters at T3 have been eased,” Scindia said.
Like other countries, air travel in India has picked up as COVID-19 restrictions have been eased.
Congestion at Delhi airport India’s largest airline has asked passengers to check-in at the Delhi airport at least 3-1/2 hours before their flight instead of the usual two hours. Other airlines had to delay their flights.
December is a busy month for the global aviation sector, with traffic expected to increase this year after two years of travel restrictions due to the pandemic.
(with contributions from Reuters)
Featured Video of the Day
Masked in crowded areas, Center advises amid China’s Covid surge