Chennai airport to help elderly with special counter

Chennai: Quite often, it is the elderly and disabled who face difficulties in dealing with various pre-boarding procedures at Chennai airport. To address this problem, the airport management has initiated action for setting up a dedicated counter to be manned by trained individuals who will assist these passengers. Airport director Deepak Shastri told DC that there are plans to establish a professionally run ‘meet and greet’ counter, in a space just outside the terminal. He added that personnel from the hospitality industry, in the know-how of boarding and airport procedures, will man the counter.

Among the services, some of which, according to Mr Shastri, may be charged and will be coordinated with the airlines, is personal assistance for passengers from their point of alighting outside the airport, guiding them through check-in, security and immigration procedures until they board the flight. He said the headquarters (Airports Authority of India, Delhi) has accorded in-principle approval for his proposal, which has been in the pipeline for a few months now. “However, they have asked for some detailed specifics, pending which the final permission would be given in another fortnight,” he said.

Air Passengers Association of India (APAI), the apex air travellers body based in Chennai, has welcomed the initiative. Speaking to DC, APAI president Sudhakar Reddy said this was a long-pending measure. “Often, there is no one at the airport to assist the elderly and disabled passengers The counter should have adequate staff operating on a 24X7 basis and well-versed in languages as passengers from various regions use the airport.”