While the VVIP culture has almost became a part of Indian society, seems like country's airport authorities have made a start to get a clean break from it.
According to a report published in Mail Today, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has issued a slew of guidelines to end the system of entitlement. According to the guidelines issued on February 26, no discrimination will be made of basis of individual's official capacity. The guidelines have been enforced in Delhi Airport to start with and will be extended gradually to other airports. It means, there will no separate queue during security checks for such ‘dignitaries’ and they will be required to stand in a common queue, irrespective of their class of travel.
Even in official documentation, words like VIP or VVIP will be replaced by special or high-profile. The guideline will include politicians, business class travellers among others. Even Ministers will have to formally request if they want to get special treatment from CISF. The guidelines have ordered the airport authority/agencies to streamline the screening of passengers at Terminal 1D and Terminal-3 of the Delhi Airport.
The special courtesies provided to differently-abled persons, senior citizens, etc, however continues to remain in place. “As far as possible, there will be a dedicated channel for crew, senior citizens (above 60 years) and persons with disability. Crew will continue to be accorded out of turn screening,” the order states.
According to the report, Delhi airport operator DIAL has red flagged it. It fears that Delhi Airport's rating may go down as other airports across the world do extend certain privilege to important people. It may even ask BCAS to revoke the decision.
