Air passengers wait in long queues for photos

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

The air passenger at the Chikalthana Airport face severe inconvenience as they have to wait in long queues for taking photos with the boarding passes at the check-in before boarding the flight. The passengers claimed that such a system is not implemented at any other airport in the country. If it is not implemented anywhere then why it is implemented in the city airport?

According to the sources, the system of taking photos with the boarding passes was started during the Corona period. As there were directives from the central government to avoid physical contact and maintain distance from each other. The passengers used to carry the boarding passes in their hands and then a photo was taken with a scanning camera. It served both the health and the security aspect.

However, this system continued even after the corona crisis was over. It still continues at the Chikalthana Airport.

The city airport has very less passenger load and only a few flights are operated here. Hence, the electronic scanning system is not installed at the airport. At big airports where there is a huge passenger load, the latest scanning system is installed. These photos are stored in the data system. When tried to contact the airport director, he was not available for his comment. Travel Agents Association of Aurangabad president Ashutosh Badwe said, I have travelled to several airports in the country, be it big or small, I have never seen this system implemented at any other airport than Aurangabad. It gives a feeling to the passengers that they are criminals and they have been going through a legal identification parade. This system should be stopped and other means of security should be implemented.

Dr Makrand Deshpande, director of a private company is an air traveller from the city said he has to travel for business meetings frequently to various destinations in the country, but he has not found this system anywhere else. Even if the security aspect is considered, the bar code scanning on the boarding passes serves the purpose while there is no need for taking a photo with the boarding pass.

Sumit Tirth, an administrative executive of a company said, it is annoying for the passengers to stand in the queue with the luggage and hold the boarding pass. This system should be discontinued if it does not serve any purpose.