Air travelers: no hassle, straight to take-off after 2014

Starting from April 2014, air travelers who check-in online and have no luggage to register can go straight to the departure gate with just a passport and an e-ticket. The new procedure will possibly save passengers an average of 10 minutes from a total flight waiting time.

In the normal procedure followed by airports, passengers who bring their printed e-tickets must have their tickets checked by an airline counter staff for their verification and receive a boarding pass to go through security before entering a departure gate.

The new system, however, will allow passengers to skip the counter verification process and let the travelers to go the departure gate where a security officer will simply check their passports and e-tickets.

“So far, quality of the verification process of passengers’ e-tickets and passports has been somewhat limited under a security officer’s human visibility, but the new procedure’s electronic system will filter out all fabricated tickets or passports” said Lee Dong-hun, Aviation Security Manager of the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs.

“Saving passengers 10 to 20 minutes from the total flight waiting time also benefits the airline counters so that their operation can be run more efficiently.”

Airliners also welcome the adoption of the new procedure, as they will be able to transfer some of the employees stationed at counter to other sectors where more work forces are needed.