Impacts of Aging Travelers on Airports (2014)

Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

9 The check-in area—usually an architecturally impressive space intended to instill a sense of awe and excitement at the prospect of taking a trip by air—traditionally repre- sented the front door to an airport terminal. Nowadays, an older traveler entering such a space, with its visual infor- mation overload, large numbers of people, and loud ambi- ent noise levels, may find it stressful and even disorienting (Figure 5). Some passengers will have already checked in, either at curbside or at a remote location such as a parking garage, and deposited their baggage prior to entering the building; but many will not have. For those aging travel- ers who need to obtain a boarding pass and check their baggage inside the terminal building, wayfinding can be a challenge. CHECK-IN AREA WAYFINDING A survey respondent noted that while volunteer “ambassa- dors” in the terminal were often located beyond the security checkpoint, having a staffed information station immediately inside the front door would be helpful and reassuring to the elderly passenger. Another respondent indicated that a “You Are Here” map of the terminal would be helpful—provided it was oriented on the same two-dimensional axis as the ter- minal, and was not three-dimensional, which passengers, including the elderly, tend to find confusing. Generally, air- line signage at the curbside was considered adequate for pas- sengers to alight at the appropriate location. Navigating the check-in process can be made more dif- ficult by an excess of signs in the lobby, some of which are in airline jargon that may not be clear to a person who travels infrequently. At one of the terminals at London’s Heathrow Airport, signs identifying check-in areas, bag drop, ticket- ing, etc., are replaced by three very large signs that simply read Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3. Step 1 refers to obtaining a boarding pass; if the individual already has a boarding pass, a sign below the main sign instructs them to proceed to Step 2, which is the bag drop. From there, passengers are instructed to either go to security or Step 3 for further assistance with check-in. COPING WITH TECHNOLOGY One obvious concern is how older travelers cope with the proliferation of technology, particularly self-service check- in devices (Figure 6). Survey respondents reported that the airlines were generally doing a good job of assisting their customers using self-service devices. One airport reported that it had its own help stations near the self-service check- in areas. At a number of airports, the self-service devices have audio menus and instructions that can be accessed by headphones, which those who are hard of hearing often carry. The trend among airlines to have an agent approach the passenger with a handheld check-in device, enabling the identification and assistance of an elderly person who may be experiencing difficulties, was identified as a posi- tive development. FATIGUE The issue of fatigue among older travelers caused by their having to stand in line in an overcrowded check-in area was raised by several of the airport representatives interviewed. Most had added seating to the lobby, so that elderly pas- sengers could wait while their more able traveling compan- ion checked them in, or while awaiting a wheelchair. One respondent suggested that elderly passengers could be given a number or an electronic device similar to those used by restaurants, so they could sit down until their turn came for checking in. Lifting bags into the bag well at the check-in counter poses another physical problem for the elderly trav- eler. This issue has been addressed in Europe by installing the index belt almost flush with the floor (Figure 7). SECURITY SCREENING CHECKPOINT Once check-in has been completed, aging travelers are faced with the challenges of the security screening checkpoint. A succinct list of these problems is contained in the paper “Accommodating Aging Population Needs in Airport Termi- nals” (Wolfe 2003). They include: • Waiting in line and prolonged standing • Removing personal items and items of clothing and depositing them in tubs • Maneuvering baggage onto and off the screening con- veyor belt • Walking through the passenger screening devices. The process of clearing the security checkpoint queue can be even more stressful than that of negotiating the check-in lobby (Figure 8). One airport is addressing the problem chapter four FROM THE TERMINAL ENTRANCE THROUGH THE SECURITY CHECKPOINT

10 FIGURE 5 Crowded check-in hall. FIGURE 6 New check-in technology. sengers can relax without having immediately to rush to their gates. The TSA has made considerable efforts to accommodate those with disabilities and the elderly. Travelers who believe they will have difficulties at security can obtain a TSA Notifi- cation Card that assures assistance for the holder when pass- ing through security. There is a program called TSA Cares, which operates a help line passengers can call to receive advice about getting through the security process. There is also a smart phone app called “My TSA” available at some airports that directs the traveler to the security checkpoint with the shortest line (“Airport Apps Put You First in Line,” New York Times 2010). A review published on the TSA’s web- site indicates that waits of 20 to 30 minutes are not uncom- mon at major hubs. Passengers over the age of 75 can also apply to use “Pre-Check” lanes at most airports, which exempt passengers from having to take off their shoes, belts, or light jackets. However, this might result in mixing elderly passen- gers with business travelers, which could cause some conflicts (see Table 2). Most surveyed airports had special security check-in lanes for disabled or elderly passengers. Sometimes these lanes were opened on an ad hoc basis, and sometimes they were shared with a staff lane. FIGURE 7 Flush bag well (ACRP Report 10). by installing live action videos earlier in the queuing area that show clearly what is about to take place. Respondents generally acknowledged that the recomposing areas on the other side of the checkpoint are often too small, usually as a result of the constraints of adding checkpoints to buildings that were designed before the current screening require- ments were instituted. One airport’s recently designed terminal includes a large “recomposing lounge” where pas-

11 Issues: Obstacles: Strategies: Wayfinding in the Check-in Lobby - Volunteer information booths directly inside entry - Correctly oriented “You Are Here” maps - Signs in plain language, not airline/airport jargon Dealing with Technology - Airline staff with hand-held devices to assist the elderly - Volunteer staff located near self-service check-in devices - Self-service devices with audio menus Fatigue Due to Standing/Queuing - Provision of abundant seating in the check-in hall - Pager system to allow passengers to be seated while waiting Handling Heavy Baggage - European-style ticket counter bag wells at floor level Negotiating the Security Checkpoint - Screens showing live action film of the screening process - Dedicated lane for elderly and disabled - Enlarged “recomposing lounges” - TSA Notification card that assures special assistance - TSA Cares program help line to call for information - My TSA smart phone application ICON KEY Capital Cost to Implement. Operational Costs/Staff Required. Existing Buildings Constraints/Disruption. No Obstacles to Implementation. TABLE 2 CHAPTER FOUR SUMMARY