Protocols at Airports

INVC,,

Delhi,,

The following are the details of protocols and courtesies being observed by India and other countries at airports, with particular reference to the United States and the United Kingdom:-

Embassy of India, Washington DC

Cabinet Ministers and above

• International Arrival – US Department of State instructs Travel and Security Administration (TSA) to issue two greeters passes for Mission’s officers to get access to the Immigration and Customs area. The US Department of State needs 24-hours’ notice to be provided for such requests. The TSA normally instructs one of the Immigration officers to expedite the immigration process.

• Domestic Arrival – The concerned Airline issues gate passes (2 nos.) to Embassy officials to access the arrival gate. The Airline need 24-hour notice for such requests.

• International and Domestic Departure – The Department of State provides an escort officer for Cabinet Ministers and above, including their accompanying spouses and children under the age of twelve, who are not already being escorted by a United States Secret Service or Diplomatic Security Service protective detail. The rank of the Cabinet Minister is to be equivalent to the rank of Cabinet Secretary in the United States Government, i.e. the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Defense, Members of the delegation accompanying the escorted official will, however, be subject to customary screening.

Secretary level officer and above, including Minister of State

• International Arrival – The US Department of State instructs Travel and Security Administration (TSA) to issue two greeters passes for Mission officials to access the Immigration and Customs area. US Department of State needs 24-hour notice for such requests.

• Domestic Arrival – The concerned Airlines issue gate passes (2 nos.) to Mission officials to access the arrival gate. The Airlines need a 24-hour notice for such requests.

• International and Domestic Departure – TSA allows ‘Expedited Screening’ facility, which helps get priority in the queue of waiting passengers, but the departing official would still have to undergo the normal screening process while passing through airport security. The concerned Airline issues two gate passes to Mission officials for access to the departure gate. The Airline also normally insists that the passenger should be present at the counter for the baggage check-in. Only Cabinet-rank dignitaries are given VIP Lounge facility. There is no system of a separate “Reserved Lounge” for other senior officials, nor are VIP lounges available against payment.

UNITED KINGDOM

• VIP suites at UK airports are operated on a commercial basis.

• The UK Government only pays for VIP suites and facilitates arrangement of VIP suites at UK airports for those officially invited as guests of the UK Government. For all other high-level foreign visitors, arrangements and payments for VIP suites have to be made by the concerned foreign government.

• The prices for use of VIP suites at UK airports range from UK £400 to UK £1000 depending on the size of the delegation.

• In case the VIPs are going through VIP suites, they are exempt from security search. However, if the VIPs go through normal channels, they are subject to usual check procedures.

• In addition, there is also a Royal Suite, the use of which is controlled by the Protocol Directorate of the UK Foreign Office.

INDIA

India offers use of its VIP/Ceremonial Lounge “A” at Terminal III of IGI airport, New Delhi to Heads of States, Vice President and Head of Government level dignitaries while Ceremonial Lounge “B” is offered to Cabinet Minister and above level dignitaries. There is no charge for these lounges in India as these are given to entitled categories of foreign dignitaries as a courtesy. Reciprocity is the guiding principle applied for use of lounges at airports and it is expected that countries whose VIPs avail of cost-free facilities/protocols in India must reciprocate similarly.

This information was given by the Minister for Civil Aviation, Shri Praful Patel