Flyers' association calls for radical reforms

 Following two major initiatives begun by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Air Passengers Association of India (APAI) has called for more such radical reforms in the country’s aviation sector.

The Civil Aviation Ministry has decided to run a pilot project to do away with baggage tags in five airports (Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad), following the issuance of e-boarding passes in Hyderabad starting last year.

APAI President D Sudhakara Reddy said the initiatives made the ministry are in the right direction.

It would help make air travel seamless and hassle-free.
“The Civil Aviation Ministry should be complimented for taking such initiatives. Many radical reforms can be brought about to embellish air travel in India. There should be constant effort to elicit feedback from passengers and to act on them,” Reddy said in a statement. The CISF, which handles security at 59 of the 95 airports, will do away with the practice of putting security stamps on passengers’ hand baggage starting December 15.

e-boarding passes

The Hyderabad airport had put in place an e-boarding mechanism late last year, which includes all boarding processes right from entry into the airport terminal, check-in, security check, boarding gate and boarding bridge check.

“Often, it is found that a passenger who has lost the security-cleared tag holds back the departure of the flight since it is a mandatory condition that every passenger should have baggage their security-cleared. Also, once found feasible, e-boarding passes can considerably reduce the reporting time for the passengers bound for domestic and international travel,” Reddy said.