Soon, passengers can leave and re-enter airport if flight's delayed
What's the story
A new proposal under consideration might allow fliers to leave the airport if their flights are delayed, and return to board them without any hassles. The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) raised this issue during a meeting with Bureau of Civil Aviation Security of India (BCAS), that takes care of security at the airports across the nation. Here's what the new idea is about.
What happens now
Passengers can't leave the airport without roadblocks
As of now, passengers can't leave the airport until they inform the airline and their name is dropped from the flight manifest. Further, the fliers need to be escorted by airline officials and handed over to security. But soon this 'tedious' process will be modified and they can head out in the city or even go back home if the flight is delayed.
Rules
Understanding the current rules
About the current process, Hemendra Singh, an assistant inspector general of the Central Industrial Security Force said, "We allow passengers to exit the terminal on directions of the airline. In such cases, the passenger leaves the airport with his luggage." If the passenger has completed check-in and wishes to return, a new boarding pass is issued and airlines takes a call on luggage.
Facility
A separate gate could solve the 'tedious' problem
But the new proposal hopes to do away with the new boarding pass. One way to do that would be an option of leaving through a separate gate. However, the proposal could take a few months before it is implemented. The facility will be available for both domestic and international fliers but not to those whose visa is expiring or those who have single-entry visas.