CHENNAI: Passengers from Chennai International Airport can heave a sigh of relief as the airport is planning to do away in two weeks the need for them to queue up to scan their luggage at stand-alone X-ray machines before depositing them at the check-in counter.
Under the new plan, travellers can go directly to the airline’s check-in counter and drop baggage on the belt. Scanning will be done in several stages even as each piece of baggage travels on the conveyor belt to the hub from where it will go into the aircraft belly.
Chennai airport director S Sreekumar told Express that the inline baggage scan facility is planned to be introduced at the domestic airport also by this year-end.
New machines have been installed and tested, but the hitch is trained manpower to handle them. Ten to 15 batches have to undergo training, which is being done in Kochi.
He said a total of 80 personnel will be required to monitor baggage. “Since only a few batches were trained, we are relying on staff from other centres so that the system can begin next month,” he said.
He said another 80 personnel are required for domestic airport and the director is positive that it will be done by December. This comes after an MoU had been signed with AAI Cargo Logistics and Allied Services Company to supply manpower to screen baggage at the four-level inline screening system.
He said Air India was handling screening of bags at stand-alone machines for all airlines at the international terminal. AAI has taken over the work from September 1.
Air India to connect Amritsar with London
Chennai: Air India is set to connect Amritsar in Punjab, with London Stansted with a thrice-a-week service from Thursday. Commencing from Mumbai, the flight will connect Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar to Stansted Airport in London. Operated by a 256-seater Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, flight AI165 will fly from Amritsar to London Stansted and return as flight AI 166 to Amritsar on every Monday, Thursday and Saturday.
It will be the first-ever scheduled flight to India from London Stansted Airport and the only direct link between London and Amritsar. This service is the National carrier’s tribute to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Devji.