Passenger surge, integrated security check-in causing delays at airport

Nationally, the footfalls of domestic passengers are rising and crossing the pre-Covid average. December 10 had 4,14,114 domestic passengers travelling on 2,798 flights and on December 11, 427,517 domestic passengers flew on 2827 flights

MUMBAI: A substantial surge in both domestic and international passengers coupled with delays caused by the integrated security checkpoints appeared to be the cause of long queues at the boarding and security area at the Mumbai airport.

On Saturday, the domestic passengers saw a 26.28% increase from 88,243 passengers on the same day last year to 1,11,441. International passenger footfalls witnessed a 140% increase from 16,456 to 39,547 passengers. (HT Photo)

In December, the passenger load on all metro airports increases considerably every year due to Christmas and year-end holidays, and like Delhi, Mumbai airport is also witnessing an increase in footfall of flyers.

On December 10, the airport, one of the busiest single runway airports in the world, recorded its highest single-day record in five years in the post-Covid phase –1,50,988 passengers - a 44% rise over 1,04,699 passengers recorded on the same day last year. The last time the airport witnessed increased footfalls on a single day was on December 20, 2019, when it clocked 1,50,276 footfalls.

“On Saturday, the domestic passengers saw a 26.28% increase from 88,243 passengers on the same day last year to 1,11,441. International passenger footfalls witnessed a 140% increase from 16,456 to 39,547 passengers,” said an airport spokesperson.

Nationally, the footfalls of domestic passengers are rising and crossing the pre-Covid average. December 10 had 4,14,114 domestic passengers travelling on 2,798 flights and on December 11, 427,517 domestic passengers flew on 2827 flights.

Aviation network expert Ameya Joshi told HT, “The domestic and international passenger volumes are rising because this is the first time since 2019 that there is no real fear of Covid, and people want to travel. Internationally, the holiday season has begun in the US and Europe, and NRIs and PIOs are travelling to India. There is also a revenge-travel factor. People who cancelled or postponed their travel last December due to Omicron fears are now flying.”

But, passengers also pointed towards delays due to the integrated security checkpoint system introduced by the airport in June this year – a claim denied by the airport spokesperson.

“What’s going on at @CSMIA_Official security? Lines for days at 5:30AM. Means a whole bunch of people rushing past because “they are late” hence quite a few flared tempers. This is new,” tweeted Vir Nakai, a biker, and photographer who writes the blog, Helmet Stories from the airport on Saturday. Nakai went through a similar experience at Terminal 2 Delhi airport on Monday morning.

“Complete chaos at Mumbai airport as the security check for domestic and international passengers is being done at the same level. Earlier it was at different levels. Pls take note and do something. V pay but r suffering” tweeted another passenger Vijay V Singh.

The Mumbai airport, now run by Adani Airports Pvt Ltd, had introduced the integrated security check to improve operational efficiency. Earlier, the security check of both domestic and international passengers was carried out at Level 3 & Level 4 of Terminal 2 respectively. Post integration, both sets of passengers now move through any one set of e-gates installed at five different locations at the pre-security check area and are separated via validation at another set of e-gates installed post-security check. Passengers have to validate the QR code on their boarding passes.

“I think @CSMIA_Official has made a big mistake combining domestic and international security checks into one section, it was faster & better when it was multi-level & separate. Now the section is choked up with two different levels of pressures & pax who have different tensions,” tweeted a passenger during a Twitter discussion.

The airport officials, however, denied that the integrated mechanism was the cause of delays. DIG Shrikant Kishore of the CISF said, “Integration of the security checks has eased the issue. At the peak of the peak hour, a passenger takes nearly 17 minutes to clear the security and at any normal time, they take eight minutes.’’ Kishore’s predecessor had recommended the integration of the security check system and the new system has made things smoother.

Last week, the airport put out a passenger advisory warning that the airport was anticipating a surge in passenger volumes with the onset of the festival season and requested international passengers to reach the airport 3.5 hours before their flight, and domestic passengers 2.5 hours before their flight.

The airport officials claimed that the airport had done several interventions to make boarding smoother for passengers. To check to overcrowd, the airport operations team has deployed a digital tool Passenger Flow and Queue Monitoring System which anticipates footfalls in the security check-in zone. It also deploys teams in the pre-security check area to help passengers remove restricted items from their baggage and person before the security check.

Three rules to avoid delays at airport

— Passengers travelling after the two-year Covid break should do some pre-travel preparedness and keep their ID cards ready, and web check-in is another way to avoid delays.

— Use self-help kiosks to print their boarding passes to avoid going to the boarding counters

— Passengers should use the priority counters for disabled passengers, senior citizens, and mothers carrying babies in their arms.