(MENAFN - Emirates News Agency (WAM)) Sharjah Airport Authority and the Department of Civil Aviation in Sharjah held discussions on Sunday with officials from companies working in the airport, including Air Arabia, security teams and the Airport Customs Center over the measures that would enable travelers finalize procedures of arrival and departure easily and conveniently in light of the continuous increase in the number of travelers in the airport.
In attendance were Dr. Ghanem Al Hajiri, Chairman of Sharjah Airport Authority, Ali Salem Al Midfa, Director General of Sharjah Airport Authority, Sheikh Khalid Bin Essam Al Qassimi, Director General of the Department of Civil Aviation in Sharjah, Adel Ali, Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, Mohammed Jaafar, Executive Director, and Abdul Rahman Bin Tuleaa, Director of Executive Affairs and Investors Relations. Also in attendance were Colonel Rashid Hilal Al Suweidi, Head of the Passport Control Department and Colonel Abdul Rahman Sahu, Head of the Outlets Department. Also present at the meeting were Major Ali Abou Al Zoud, Head of the airport police station, and Major Faisal Al Kheyal, Director of the criminal investigation branch, Hassan Dimas, Director of the Passenger Customs Center and Abdul Rahman Al Zarouni, Assistant Director of the Center and Lieutenant Colonel Ali Joukah, Director of the Security Office at the Airport and Mr. Obaid Al Muheiri, Deputy Director of the Office.
Dr. Al Hajiri emphasized the importance of these coordination meetings to communicate with government agencies and the private sector in order to review procedures and discuss issues related to travelers. These issues include parking spots and boarding the airplane, so that all procedures will be simple and conducive to preserving the good reputation the Sharjah International Airport has earned over the past years that has made it a leader in the region.
Dr. Hajiri noted that the airport's administration is keen to create an appropriate travel environment and is working to overcome difficulties faced by travelers, particularly given the continuous increase in number of travelers seen by the airport.
He underlined the importance of holding periodic reviews for different procedures and procedures that would guarantee travelers' complete comfort while traveling. He also highlighted the most important issues that travelers currently face in the Sharjah International Airport. He said that last spring vacation was used as a performance evaluation for all administrations working in the airport. He also spoke about the large shortage of employees in all working agencies as well as the need to monitor alternating officials round the clock.
Ali Salem Al Midfa explained that Sharjah Airport Authority and the Department of Civil Aviation in Sharjah are both keen to open channels of communication with all agencies that use and work in the airport whether they are governmental or private. This is out of the keenness to provide the best services and facilities that characterize Sharjah International Airport. The meeting also discussed several important topics that all aim to guarantee traveler comfort, where several ideas were discussed that deal with facilitating procedures in the departure area to prevent any congestion, parking spaces for arrivals and departures, guiding and directing passengers to enable them to complete procedures in the shortest time possible, and placing workers at x-ray search stations, in addition to a study on how to speed up procedures at the counters, passport checkpoints, visa reception, eye-scan, and any other places that would contribute to speeding up procedures.
Al Midfa noted the importance of transparent communication with the media through a highly experienced media committee.
Sheikh Khalid Bin Esasm Al Qassimi emphasized the Department of Civil Aviation's keenness to address the needs and requirements of airport users and travelers and to offer a suitable environment to them as well as to protect their safety and security. He pointed out the necessity of activating the Streamlining Committees that is generally concerned with services to raise the level of service.
Adel Ali of Air Arabia, emphasized that the company is keen to cooperate with all parties and agencies that work in the airport with the goal of ensuring easy procedures, all in the service of Air Arabia travelers.
"There is no doubt that ensuring complete comfort to all passengers comes at the top of the company's priorities," he said.
He noted that Air Arabia plays an active role in training its employees to deal with passengers and to quickly complete procedures, especially at the counters, indicating that the employees are trained to show cooperation and coordination and extend support to all agencies that work in the airport.
