Delhi International Airport (DIAL) has set up special enclosures to assist passengers disembarking from flights delayed by over three hours. These enclosures streamline their return to the terminal, enabling quicker re-entry into the Security Hold Area (SHA) without undergoing standard security checks again.
Under new government-approved security relaxations, passengers of delayed or canceled flights, due to weather, fog, or technical issues, will no longer be required to go through the regular security procedures. Instead, they will follow a separate process that allows them to return to the terminal more efficiently.
DIAL has set up these enclosures across all three terminals – T1, T2, and T3 – to streamline this process. The enclosures, ranging from 250 to 450 square meters, are designed to hold between 55 and 120 passengers at a time, facilitating quick security screening. They will be located at key points such as bus boarding gates, aerobridges in Terminal 3 (T3), the transfer area in Terminal 2 (T2), and the bus boarding gate in Terminal 1 (T1).
Time saver
The new arrangement will save passengers from the usual complex security checks, which previously required them to be processed through arrivals and transfer areas before re-entering the SHA. The streamlined procedure reduces the time taken for de-boarding and re-boarding from approximately 2.5 hours to just a few minutes.
Amenities for passengers
In addition, DIAL is working to provide essential amenities such as toilets and vending machines within the enclosures where feasible. Once processed, passengers will be allowed to enter the SHA, gaining access to all available terminal facilities. For security reasons, only airline staff escorting passengers from delayed flights will be permitted entry to the enclosures.
This move is expected to improve the overall passenger experience during long delays and further enhance operational efficiency at the airport.
(With PTI Inputs)