World’s first ‘3-point disembarkation’ procedure, which IndiGo unveiled on Thursday will allow its customers to leave the plane more quickly. In essence, passengers on some IndiGo flights will be able to exit the plane by three doors as opposed to the standard two.
The airline will install ramps on the two forward exits on the left and right of the aircraft, as well as a third ramp at the left rear exit of the aircraft (IndiGo employs ramps rather than stairs).
Initially, this will be deployed on IndiGo’s A320 and A321 planes as well as at airports in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. According to airline executives, IndiGo says it intends to expand the programme to all airports in the nation, but that may take up to three months.
This plan will only apply to flights that don’t board and disembark passengers via the aerobridge and to aircrafts parked far from the terminal. When it’s time to start deboarding on a flight with three exit ramps, the cabin crew will make an announcement.
Almost as soon as the plane touches down, passengers are always clamouring to get out. Opening a second exit will speed up the procedure and possibly provide some solace to those who are anxious to depart.
In order to keep its aircraft in the air for as long as feasible, IndiGo operates an effective operation. In aviation lingo, turnaround time refers to the 30- to 35-minute period that an IndiGo aircraft spends on the ground in between flights. The longer the aircraft stays in the air and generates income for the airline, the lower the turnaround time.
According to IndiGo, the revised disembarkation procedure would result in passengers leaving the plane in 5 minutes less time. Given that IndiGo runs 1,600 flights each day, the 5-minute turnaround time decrease will result in a sizable increase in flight duration.
Naturally, not every one of IndiGo’s flights will feature the three-point disembarkation; for the time being, the airline will only be allowed to employ it for up to 50% of flights at the three airports where it has started the process.
According to insiders in the industry, all airlines like to have as little equipment as possible near a parked aircraft while it is undergoing tasks like refuelling, catering, loading and unloading of luggage, etc. before it is prepared to take off again. Adding another disembarkation staircase or ramp might complicate matters on the tarmac surrounding the aircraft.
