The government has stepped in to distinguish procedures for passengers travelling on interline and codeshare flights following an immigration lapse at Delhi airport last September month, when three passengers travelled to Italy without clearing immigration checks.
The incident came close on the heels of the government putting in place a hub-and-spoke model at the Varanasi, Amritsar and Ahmedabad airports, where passengers can clear immigration checks at the origin airport for international travel. The civil aviation ministry did not respond to requests for comment on the matter.
“Under the revised procedure, the second boarding pass for interline and codeshare passengers will be issued at connecting airports after immigration, instead of being issued at the originating airport,” one of the officials aware of the development said. Airlines and airport authorities, in line with government directions, are coordinating changes to boarding-pass issuance and passenger verification, according to officials aware of the development. The baggage of passengers on such journeys will continue to be checked in and tagged at the originating airport for the entire trip, the official said. For Air India’s hub-and-spoke connections, both boarding passes will continue to be issued at the point of origin, another official said. “The changes were worked out following consultations involving the government and the airline,” another official said.
