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Aviation History
1952
1952 - 0790.PDF
FLIGHT 28 MARCH 1952 No. 6 OF A SERIES Every minute counts To pass travel lers quickly and easily through all formalities at the beginning and end of their air journey —that's the aim of BEA's passenger handling system. Movements have been planned with mathematical precision to avoid con gestion and delay—with such success that, even on INTERNATIONAL services, the time now needed at an airport for the traveller to show his ticket, pass through Customs ex amination, baggage weigh ing, passport and currency control, out to the aircraft has been reduced consider ably. How has it been done? Three reasons: adequate, well-trained staff; care fully devised routing at airport and town terminal; and the stop-watch timing of every passenger move ment. Even loudspeaker announcements work to a schedule. Staff training All passenger handling staff (recruited locally wherever possible) go on an intro ductory training course when they first join BEA, Here they learn the routine of all duties : from booking procedure and com pletion of passenger and freight docu ments, to catering and accountancy. Air stewards and stewardesses are trained on a different six-week course with an intensive syllabus which includes first aid, air duties, and compilation of flight papers. The passing-out standard is very high. Interline passengers Many travellers from the provinces and the Continent arrive at Northolt to connect with other airlines operating from London Airport, and vice versa. Special arrangements for these passengers are made so that they can travel between airports in BEA coaches. Luggage is carried unexamined, under Customs seal. Transport About one- third of all BEA passen gers arrive direct at the Airport. The remainder assemble at the town terminal, where ticket and baggage formalities are quickly completed. BEA owns a fleet of 58 18- seater coaches for ter minal-airport transport; too small for present-day needs, these coaches are soon to be replaced by 60 new 37-seaters, designed for BEA by London Transport, and built on AEC Mark IV chassis. It is hoped that the first will be delivered in April this year. Passenger facilities Ten minutes to wait ? A magazine ? Traveller's cheques ? A quick snack ? A feature of BEA airports and town centres are the lounges with bookstalls, information desks and licensed buffets to cater for a traveller's needs. No split-second timing here—but still an essential of BEA passenger service. BEA BRITISH EUROPEAN A I R W A Y S
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