The general check-in area of an airport is usually an area that sees high passenger traffic. In order to limit queues and crowds, passengers should complete as much of the check-in process as possible before arriving at the airport (i.e. passengers should be ready to fly). Self-service options should be made available and utilized as much as possible to limit contact at passenger touchpoints.
Considerations
- Implement measures that reduce congestion within these areas through advanced-planning and monitoring of passenger flows.
- Airports should provide signage, floor markings and announcements via public address (PA) systems to encourage physical distancing. In addition, support communication of key prevention messages from health authorities through audio messages and signs at key touchpoints of the passenger journey should be considered.
- Various self-service tools, such as boarding pass and baggage tag kiosks and baggage drops are of specific concern due to the high levels of physical contact that increase the probability of contamination. Usage of these devices should nonetheless be encouraged to reduce face-to-face interactions, but with careful attention to the management of passenger flow and keeping such devices adequately and constantly disinfected.
- Whenever possible, passengers should be encouraged to complete check-in processes prior to arriving at the airport. Online check-in, mobile boarding pass, off-airport baggage tagging, and other initiatives will contribute to the reduction in the amount of contact with airport staff and infrastructure. It is therefore recommended that States remove any regulatory obstacles to enabling such types of off-airport processes.
- At the traditional check-in counters, the use of retractable stanchions and floor signage in the queuing area to encourage physical distancing and the installation of transparent barriers in front of staff at counters should be considered.
- Self-sanitizing technology may also be considered for integration within kiosks with touch screens, to allow for the disinfection of the screens between each use.
- Whenever possible, airport and other stakeholders should use contactless processes and technology, including contactless biometrics such as facial or iris recognition. Such digital identification processes can be applied to self-service bag drops, various queue accesses, boarding gates and retail and duty-free outlets. This will eliminate or greatly reduce the need for contact with travel documents between staff and passengers. It may also accelerate various processes, resulting in enhanced health protection, reduced queuing and other process efficiencies.
Means for uniform implementation
- Collaborate with relevant authorities, airlines and other aviation stakeholders for cost-effective solutions that protect the public.
- Simplified formalities by enabling contactless processes.
- Greater use of standardized digital identity management solutions.
- Use the Airport COVID-19 Cleaning / Disinfection Control Sheet (PHC Form 3) or a similar one where appropriate.
