Asian airports brace to screen over 300 m. passengers by 2011

International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecast that 620 mln new passengers will use air travel by 2011. Therefore according to statistics Asia has to be ready to screen 316 mln additional passengers, Europe 196 mln, North America 144 mln and Central and South America 54 mln passengers.

The challenge that all airlines, airports and governments face is how to adopt our legacy screening and facilitation systems to absorb this exciting growth and develop next generation systems to do the job effectively, quickly and more efficiently, said Global Head of Security and Facilitation IATA, Georgiana Graham addressing the global media day in Geneva, Switzerland recently. Speaking on the theme 'Security and Facilitation', she said that aviation security must be smarter, faster and more easily adoptable.

She said that in many countries, 16 months after the foiled UK terror plot goods are still being confiscated at transfer points while Duty free purchases can still be an issue.

Some technology improvements mean that passengers no longer have to remove their laptops from the carrying cases, but it is not clear to the passenger which measures apply where. Graham said that humorously we all have heard of horror stories about the hassles passengers face when they go through security.

Passengers understand that they have to undergo security screening but the lack of knowledge about what to do or a place to prepare especially for families can be very frustrating.

She said that out of the 2,000 passengers surveyed 20% had problems of signage, 40% complained that at some airports the wait time to go through screening was too long while at some airports there was inadequate space to repack their belongings after going through security screening.

To alleviate the problems in the short term IATA initiated some quick win solutions focusing on areas such as signage, preparation and repack areas and families.

Self explanatory images were designed to provide information on what to do with laptops whether to remove shoes, mobile phones, metallic objects, liquids, aerosols and gels prior to the security point.

Initially they were provided to the pilot airports to measure the improvements in passenger perception and throughput. IATA surveyed the passengers after the signs were put up and the results showed that the perception improved when more information and instructions were provided prior to the security screening point.

Graham said that as a solution to passengers having to put and remove their belongings in a short time prior and after the security check IATA has introduced more space and or roller tables prior to the security screening point.

(SG)