LECTURE NOTES

915333 - AVIATION ANCILLARY SERVICE

BBA – AIRLINE AND AIRPORT MANAGEMENT
SEMESTER – III

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 UNIT – 2

PASSENGER HANDLING

The passengers carried in the company aircraft are, first, fellow associates and,
second, guests or clients of the company. As such, they deserve courtesy and
consideration while they are in and around company aircraft. More important,
they often are not familiar with aircraft operations, and their safety.

Passenger handling includes services inside the airport terminal such as:

 Providing check-in counter services for the passengers departing on the

customer airlines.
 Providing Gate arrival and departure services. The agents are required to
meet a flight on arrival as well as provide departure services including
boarding passengers and closing the flight.
 Staffing the transfer counters, customer service counters and airline
lounges.

In addition to technical training on passengers’ check-in codes and conducts as

well as check-in system operation, dangerous articles handling, safety and
security standards. It gives paramount importance to its personnel code of
conducts and ethics especially when handling passengers. Maintenance
personnel section is often the first contact that passengers have with corporate
aviation. Therefore, maintenance personnel carry a special burden because they
must ensure that the passengers are cared for properly. Although passenger
service representatives and the flight crew normally are responsible for
passenger handling, maintenance personnel are an integral part of their care.

Passenger handling in the airport

 Airport operator or handling agent shall provide passengers at the airport

with visual and/or acoustic information on:
Time of departure and arrival of the aircraft;
Location, beginning and ending of the check-in time;
Delays or flight cancellations and their causes;
Methods and routes of transition between the air terminals or passage
among the airports and from the airport to the city;
Rules and procedure for the conduct of inspection for aviation
security, screening of the passengers, their cabin bags and baggage;

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 General rules for passenger meeting requirements, connected with
border, customs, immigration, sanitary-epidemiological, veterinary-
sanitary, phytosanitary and other types of control;
Location of baby care room, law-enforcement bodies station, enquiry
desk, medical post, wc etc.;
Place of baggage receipt and actions to be taken by the passenger in
case of delay, damage, destruction of the baggage.
 All the announcements that are made in the airports of Ukraine have to be
done in Ukrainian and English languages. In the international airports
announcements additionally can be performed in the language to/from
which the flight is performed.
 The air carrier or the handling agent shall provide the following services at
the airport:
Registration of the passengers and baggage handling;
Ground transportation of the passengers, baggage to the aircraft
parking area and boarding of the passengers and loading of the
baggage on board of the aircraft;
Arrangement of deplanement of the passengers from the aircraft and
baggage unloading, their ground transportation to the corresponding
airport arrival terminal and baggage dispensing;
Informing regarding delay/cancellation of the flight not later than 10
minutes before the arrival time of the aircraft according to the
schedule.
 Passengers check-in starts 120 minutes before the flight departure
according to the schedule. Depending on local conditions, check-in can
start earlier. Passengers and baggage check-in in the airports of Ukraine and
airports outside Ukraine finish 40 minutes before the departure time of the
flight according to the schedule.
 Passengers’ boarding an aircraft in the airports of Ukraine and in the
airports outside Ukraine ends 15 minutes before the departure time of the
flight.
 Start and end of the check-in and boarding the aircraft are stated in the
ticket or in the other document, which is provided to the passenger at the
time of ticket sale.

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Passenger handling on board of the aircraft

 Air carrier shall provide the passengers on board of the aircraft package of
services depending on the type and arrangement of the aircraft, flight
duration, time of day, whereby the flight takes place, also class of service
indicated in the ticket. The scope of services and the procedure of their
provision are determined by these Rules.
 The air carrier provides the following:
equipment of the passenger cabin of the aircraft with hardware and
systems for ensuring passenger safety; maintaining appropriate
temperature range in the cabin, means of individual use for passengers
(passenger reading light, fan, table for meals, system of safety belts,
oxygen mask etc.);
Maintaining proper sanitary and hygienic condition of the aircraft
cabin;
Serviceability and completeness of the equipment, tools and passenger
handling facilities;
Availability of seats for passengers with children;
Possibility of having on board disabled passengers or passengers with
limited mobility.
 Air carrier on board of the aircraft has trained personnel in sufficient
quantities to provide passenger services, including predoctor care, as well
to ensure flight safety in accordance with the legislation of Ukraine.
 The airline ensures provision of the following free-of-charge services on
board of the aircraft:
Assistance to the passengers during boarding or deplanement to/from
board of the aircraft (searching for the seat, placing cabin bags etc.);
Information and reference services – due and true information of the
passengers with regard to the rules of conduct on board aircraft, free
and paid services that are provided, flight conditions, use of the
emergency and safety equipment, location in the cabin of personal
protection equipment and inflatable slides, location of main and
emergency exits, emergency aircraft evacuation procedure;
First premedical aid;
Provision of drinking water on request of the passenger;
Usage of toilets.

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The air carrier is obliged to inform the passengers about the services that are
provided on board the aircraft.

 Handling of passengers on board the aircraft is done in such categories:

Business;
Premium-economic;
Economical.
 Flight catering is included in the cost of the ticket of the passengers of
business- and premium- economy classes. The passengers of economy class
can preliminary order flight catering at additional charge. Food and drinks
are given according to the norms established by the air carrier.
 Air carrier can provide additional services to the passenger during the
flight. The list of additional services, the order of their receiving and
payment is established by air carrier. Air carrier informs the passengers
about additional services by means of placing of the corresponding
information on own web-site www.windrose.aero.
 To provide first aid during the flight the air carrier is obliged to have on
board the aircraft first-aid kits in the following quantity for the number of
passenger seats:
From 100 till 199-2 units;
From 200 till 299 - 3 units;
From 300 and more - 4 units.

DEPARTURE CONCOURSE

An airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between

ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark
from an aircraft.

Within the terminal, passengers purchase tickets, transfer their luggage, and go
through security. The buildings that provide access to the airplanes (via gates)
are typically called concourses. However, the terms "terminal" and "concourse"
are sometimes used interchangeably, depending on the configuration of the
airport. Smaller airports have one terminal while larger airports have several
terminals and/or concourses. At small airports, the single terminal building
typically serves all of the functions of a terminal and a concourse.

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Ground transportation

Many small and mid-size airports have a single, two, or three-lane one-way loop
road which is used by local private vehicles and buses to drop off and pick up
passengers.

An international airport may have two grade-separated one-way loop roads, one
for departures and one for arrivals. It may have a direct rail connection by
regional rail, light rail, or subway to the downtown or central business district of
the closest major city. The largest airports may have direct connections to the
closest freeway. The Hong Kong International Airport has ferry piers on the
airside for ferry connections to and from mainland China and Macau without
passing through Hong Kong immigration controls.

Zones

Pre-Security Post Security

 Check-in counters  Duty-free shops
 Retail stores and restaurants  Retail stores and restaurants
 Baggage claim  Airport lounges
 Airport customs

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TRANSIT OF PASSENGERS

General

Transit passengers connecting from a domestic flight to an international flight

must complete baggage check-in 30 minutes prior to the departure time at the
airport baggage counter. Transit of passengers is performed only after the
clearance.

Different procedures may apply according to:

 Transit via passenger boarding bridge

 Transit via buses and passenger stairs

The flow of the passenger can be controlled by the responsible personnel:

The ramp agent

The flight crew
The passenger service agent

Embarkation

Transit should start 30 min. before departure time but not without first having
obtained boarding clearance from flight-deck and cabin crew. Specialized
passengers as disabled passengers, unaccompanied minors and families with
infants and VVIPs, VIPs, physically challenged should be pre-boarded, if
possible.

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If the aircraft is parked in such a way that the passengers have to pass the wing
area in order to reach the entrance door care must be taken to direct passengers
around the wing.

It must further be ensured that the passengers:

 Board the right aircraft

 Do not mix with arriving passengers
 Do not leave items in security areas
 Boards the aircraft and do not abscond and
 No unauthorized persons board the aircraft

The handling agent shall check that the number of checked-in passengers
correspond to the number of passengers on board the aircraft. The cabin crew
shall check that the number of passengers onboard correspond to the passenger
manifest.

Disembarkation

Before initiating the passenger disembarkation it is required that:

 The engines are shut-down

 The stairs or loading bridge are properly placed
 Passenger should be advised to remain stay in the airplanes until the
engines have been shut down.
 During the passengers disembarkation the cabin attendants control the
assigned doors
 In case no loading bridges available, the passengers shall be either taken
to the terminal by vehicle or escorted, ensuring that they remain in a
group, refrain from smoking and be kept clear of dangerous areas while
on the aero plane movement area.

Problems with Passengers

The plane can only take off if the owner of the checked-in baggage is on board,
if not, the agent has to find and remove the checked-in baggage. This takes a lot
of time and can cause flight delay which can lead to further problems and delays
costing the airline a significant amount of money and efforts.

There are several possibilities why a passenger is late at the boarding gate: the
passenger can get lost, cannot find the way to the correct gate, it is stocked at

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the long queue of border control or security check, arrived simply too late at the
airport, it was lost within the shops or any of the airport facilities, forgot the
time and the flight, cannot understand or hear the loud speaker in case of gate
change, or is simply to absent-minded, the signs of the airport are not clear
enough, or even some medical problem or emergency occurred etc. Whatever
the real reason, it costs money for the airline.

BAGGAGE HANDLING

Baggage is any item a passenger carries on his journey for his comfort or
convenience. Baggage admitted for carriage as passenger baggage containing
such articles, effects and other property of a passenger as are necessary for
wear, use, comfort and convenience in connection with his or her trip. The
purpose of the baggage handling process is to accept the baggage from the
passenger, transport it from station A to B, and returns it to the passenger in the
exact same condition as when it was checked in.

Whether the baggage handling is proper or not can be checked by observing if

the bags are moving at the same pace as the traveller, or not. At the situations
where the luggage is traveling slower than the owner, then would irritate
passengers because they need to wait too long for their bags. The situation can
get worse if the luggage misses the connecting flight on time.

In the contrary scenario, if the bags move too fast, then too passengers would
feel irritated. There is a probability that the luggage makes it to the connecting
flight but the passenger misses it. Thus, there must be adequate balance so as to
prevent this.

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The baggage handling system essentially has three main objectives:

1. Luggage needs to be transferred from check-in area to departure gate.

2. Bags are required to be shifted from one gate to another.
3. Transferring the bags from the arrival gate to the baggage-claim counter

In the remaining part of time when passengers are at the airport, the luggage
remains with them. Though, the point that every airport has its own needs
cannot be neglected. The time taken by the passenger to move from check-in
area to the gate can differ at various airports. At few airports, it is just a walk
where others, the passengers may have to take a train. The luggage of the
passenger travels according to the time taken by the passenger to reach the
suitable terminal. In general, baggage handling system incorporates some
remarkable technologies for the shifting of bags. There is no requirement of any
manual intervention and the luggage is shifted from the check-in counter to the
departure gate in an automated way. The following steps are initiated:

 Initially, the destination coded vehicles or the automated carts loads and
unloads bags. This is without any manual intervention and it continues
without stopping.
 Next is the job for the automated scanners that scans the labels on the
luggage, again without any manual help.
 Lastly, the conveyers equipped with junctions and sorting machines
channel the bags to the gate.

Types of Baggage

1. Checked baggage: This is the baggage the airline takes sole responsibility of
and is characterized by the following:

 It bears a tag baggage) showing the station of arrival, serial number, name
of passenger and flight numbers.
 A portion the tag is given to the passenger (the claim tag) to enable the
passenger identify his baggage at the point of destination arrival).
 It is weighed at counters and carried in the baggage hold compartment of
the aircraft.
 Checked-in baggage is not accessible to the passenger during the flight.

2. Unchecked baggage: This is the baggage a passenger takes sole

responsibility of during the flight and is carried in the cabin of the aircraft. It is
carried free of charge and it should weigh 7kgs (IATA Standards).
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IATA stipulated certain articles to be carried free of charge by passengers
during their flight. You may carry some Baggage, free of charge, subject to our
conditions and limitations, which are available upon request, include:

 Ladies’ handbags
 Jewellery purse
 An umbrella
 A few reading material e.g. magazines, novels
 Laptop
 Overcoat/sweater
 Infants' carrying baskets
 Fully collapsible wheel Chair/pair of clutches.
 A seeing/hearing dog.
 The free carry-on baggage are carried free of charge on top of checked
baggage allowance.

Baggage Acceptance

All baggage for check-in must be well packed in suitcases or containers which
must be sufficiently rigid and resistant to pressure to ensure safe carriage by air.
It is the responsibility of the passenger to pack and mark their baggage. All
baggage should have the passenger’s name before it is accepted. The carrier
reserves the right to refuse the carriage of more than the baggage allowance in
the same flight as the passenger travels. Enter the pieces and weight in the
passenger ticket.

SPECIALIZED HANDLING OF PASSENGERS

The processing of passengers as they pass through airports is high profile and at
the core of the travel experience. For many, it will be the first and last contact
they will have with airline staff on their journey. Increasing volumes of
passenger traffic, increased security restrictions, increased check-in options and
an increasing demand for punctuality and profitability all place pressure on
those trying to deliver competitive and efficient passenger handling.
Understanding the processes involved and the mandatory and optional services
and facilities available to departing and arriving passengers at airports is key to
being able to meet these requirements as part of the travel experience. It is
essential to understand special passenger-handling services and facilities.

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Special Needs Passengers

The classification of handlings of specialized passengers is as follows:

 Infants and Children

 Unaccompanied Minor (UMNR)
 Pregnant and Expectant Women/Mothers
 Sick/Disabled/ Physically Challenged Passengers
 VVIP passengers
 VIP passengers
 Type of travel and required documentation for passengers under these
classifications may differ for each airline.

VIP PASSENGERS HANDLING

Passengers wishing to get the most comfortable and convenient service, can use
VIP terminal. VIP assistance will provide you with faster and more comfortable
check-in without waiting for arrival, departure or transfer at Airports.

VIP assistance includes

 Personal assistance by our Agent during your stay at the airport

 Assistance at check-in desk
 Assistance in processing passport and customs formalities
 Assistance at security checks
 Accompaniment when boarding / disembarking the aircraft
 In case of your interest we will accompany you to the airport lounge

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  A separate entrance in the air terminal (A1);
 Private parking for passengers’ transport (in front of the hall);
 Individual approach to each passenger in the service;
 Registration of air tickets and baggage and carry-on items;
 Pre-flight inspection of passengers.

VVIP PASSENGERS HANDLING

VVIP and VIP Airport ‘meet and Greet’ Services include express release for the
passengers on arrival at the VIP lounge where the guests are made to sit. Where
necessary, the guest will be accompanied by a representative of passenger
handling office. This process will take less than 20 minutes and will saver
precious time at the airport even avoiding the hassle at customs. The
representative will accompany the VVIP and VIP guests from the arrival hall to
pick up zone, solving all formalities caused by the official registration of papers,
delivery of luggage, etc.

AAI gave the list of passenger dignitaries who are entitled to take their vehicle
up to aircraft and the dignitaries exempted from this service. Action taken by
airports for handling VVIP/VIP guests:

 Documentation – After receiving message with respect to VVIP/VIP

movement airport terminal manager examine the message/tour
programme/itinerary ofVVIP/VIP and inform airport director/director in
charge in this regard. Director in-charge enter the same in VIP register, he
ensure that specific lounge reserved be mentioned.

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 Daily VIP Pro forma – This VIP pro forma enlist all VVIP/VIP
movements 24 hours cycle. Copy of this pro forma is forwarded to all
concerned by airport terminal manager.
 VVIP/VIP Team Briefing – Sr. Airport Terminal Manager/Airport
Terminal Manager on shift duties shall inform all concerned in advance
of the particular VIP movements.
 Sr. Airport Terminal Manager/Airport Terminal Manager should tie all
VVIP/VIP movements with Airport Director/Airport-in-Charge or with
an officer authorized by Airport Director or Airport-in-Charge in this
behalf.
 Sr. Manager Engg. (E)/(C) and Sr. Manager (Electronics) are well
informed for VIP movement to ensure that all requirements associated to
their departments are kept in proper operational status and desired shape.
For the smooth handling of the movement authorised officer should keep
close liaison with office/residence of representatives of VVIP/VIP.
 The concerned Airport Director/Airport-in-Charge takes overall
responsibility for smooth and efficient handling besides coordinating with
all agencies/departments.
 VVIP/VIP Follow up Report – Sr Airport Terminal Manager submits
VVIP handling follow up report.

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