AAGSC RECOMMENDED INDUSTRY PRACTICE PASSENGER SAFETY ON THE APRON AAGSC : RIP No. 7 Issue 3 Issued : 12 May 2006 Review Date : May 2008 Background There are few standards that provide guidance to airport or aircraft operators on passenger safety on the apron. ICAO, IATA and local regulations have only passing reference to the need for airports and aircraft operators to take care of their passengers on the apron. Terms such as due care are used but little guidance is given on how to exercise this due care. Airports and aircraft operators have a joint duty of care to all passengers who use the apron area. The safety of passengers is paramount at all times and it must be remembered it is they who are in an unfamiliar environment. The AAGSC has developed this Recommended Industry Practice to promote a common approach across all airports and aircraft operators, both large and small. It is recognised that where an aircraft operator has a contract with a handling agent, some of the functions noted in this document as being the responsibility of the aircraft operator will reside with the handling agent, but their performance must be constantly monitored by the aircraft operator.
Page 2 Rationale The rationale behind publishing this Recommended Industry Practice is to give airport and aircraft operators some guidance in providing for safe passenger movement on airport aprons. It is important to recognise that there are two primary methods of embarking and disembarking passengers: via an aerobridge via the apron Passengers boarding or disembarking via an aerobridge will be out of the danger area, whereas passengers using the apron will be potentially exposed to all the hazards that exist there. Passengers are unfamiliar with the airport environment and must be provided with clear and easy to follow directions. All passengers whilst airside must be marshalled and supervised. Many foreign visitors will simply not recognise local signs or markings unless they are clear and unambiguous. Passengers will have an expectation that they will be looked after by the aircraft operator and airport staff. They will be largely unaware of hazards such as jet blast, engine ingestion, prop wash and other apron movements. It is important for all staff working in this environment to set a positive example for passengers transiting this area. For instance, behaviours such as running across the apron, walking through propeller arcs or use of cell phones in front of passengers could lead to poor decision making by embarking/disembarking passengers. Airside Driver Licensing Rules and Aircrew training should require drivers and aircrew to be aware of this Recommended Industry Practice.
Page 3 Recommended Industry Practice This recommended standard is made up of four elements that need to be considered together. These four elements are: control of access route of access apron markings and signage safe passenger handling procedures Control of Access It is generally accepted that the terminal operator will be responsible for supplying the physical barriers and access control system between the landside terminal area and the airside apron environment. The aircraft operator or their handling agent will then ensure control of their passengers through the barrier, security of the barrier during passenger processing and be responsible for re-securing the barrier after boarding or disembarking passengers. It is imperative that such doorways are kept secure when not in use by an aircraft operator boarding or disembarking passengers. When airport staff use these doors outside these times, they must ensure the door is again secure after passing through it so that passengers do not inadvertently enter the apron area unsupervised. Route of Access One of the most significant actions an airport can take in enhancing passenger safety is to locate the aircraft parking position in a way that minimises the distance passengers will have to walk across an apron. A direct path from the terminal to an aircraft is one of the simplest ways to reduce the risk to passengers.
Page 4 The most important consideration in determining a safe passenger access route is the clearance to other hazards on the apron. The passenger route must be clear of all physical hazards on the apron such as drains, hydrants and other trip hazards. The passenger route should also be positioned to take account of the other less tangible hazards on the apron such as jet blast, engine ingestion and prop wash. Passenger movement must be strictly segregated from vehicular traffic. Aerodrome Driver Licensing Rules need to include vehicles always giving way to embarking/disembarking passengers. Where vehicle traffic must cross a passenger thoroughfare, dedicated/identified vehicle crossing areas should be introduced. The use of caution markings and signage should also be considered. The passenger route must not pass under the fuselage or wings or close to propellers or rotors of the aircraft being loaded or other aircraft parked on adjacent bays. Attention must also be paid to the location of aircraft fuel vents. Witches hats and retractable webbing barriers are some of the devices regularly used by aircraft operators to keep passengers away from some of the hazards described above. Remember, of course, that some passengers will have disabilities, including some that are confined to wheelchairs, and their needs must be considered when choosing an access route. It is recommended that the aerodrome operator work with the aircraft operator and all affected ground
Page 5 handling agencies to develop an entry, parking and egress layout which ensures a safe path for passengers, but also meets the requirements of those involved in such functions as loading, refuelling and catering. The aircraft and airport operators should also consider special planning provisions for potentially increased hazard exposure during activities such as refuelling while passengers are on board or are being boarded or deplaned. The aircraft operator should consult with the aerodrome operator and affected ground servicing agencies at the planning stages if new aircraft schedules or aircraft types are proposed. This will ensure a process is in place so that such changes do not adversely affect the current passenger handling practices, or that if they do, then new control measures can be implemented. Apron Markings and Signage Ideally the markings should be clearly recognisable as a passenger path. The AAGSC recommends the use of the zebra crossing marking as it is internationally recognised as a safe pedestrian walkway. (Note the relevant New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority advisory circular specifies blue paint for the walkway markings, but a white zebra crossing marking where a passenger walkway crosses a vehicle movement lane) The route should be marked from the point where the pedestrian leaves the terminal to a generic point from which access to the various aircraft types and their optional parking directions on that bay may be safely negotiated.
Page 6 If the route is to be used at night then lighting must be adequate. Reflective paint or other treatments may assist with ensuring that the path is clearly visible. At larger airports the high mast lighting should be adequate to ensure conspicuity of the route but additional lighting may be necessary. As the route is likely to be used in wet weather, nonslip treatment will assist with ensuring that the path is safe in all weather conditions. For disembarking passengers, an entry sign should be affixed above the doorway or the sign in the vicinity with an arrow pointing towards the doorway. The entry sign needs to be lit if there are any night operations. Signage prohibiting the use of cell phones by passengers as they cross the apron should be displayed at the terminal exit points onto the apron. Safe Passenger Handling Procedures The aircraft operator or their handling agent must have procedures in place to ensure that their passengers are supervised when on the apron. The overriding purpose of these procedures must be passenger safety. Minimum supervision is one person at the terminal building entry/exit point and a second person at the aircraft. Where the access to the aircraft is not in a direct line to or from the terminal then additional staff should be positioned on the apron to supervise and provide guidance to passengers. Simultaneous boarding via a set of front and rear stairs to an aircraft is likely to require a minimum of three staff to assist passengers.
Page 7 Passengers should not be allowed onto the apron, whether from the terminal or disembarking the aircraft, when other aircraft are arriving or departing the immediate area. The departure phase may need to include from the time an adjacent aircraft starts its engines depending on such factors as proximity of passenger walkway to the adjacent aircraft, level of supervision and noise output of the adjacent aircraft. Passengers should not be allowed to depart the terminal until the aircraft they are due to board has come to a complete stop, the aircraft engines have stopped, the anti-collision lights have been switched off and its clearly established that it is safe for them to do so. The procedures established by the aircraft operator for passenger safety must incorporate the need to give passengers instructions on how to embark/disembark the aircraft safely, including not using cell phones or personal stereos on the apron and that all aprons are no smoking areas. To discourage vehicles driving between aircraft and the terminal the airline or handling agent should place red witches hats on the path between the aircraft and the terminal. The responsibilities of pilots, flight attendants, customer service staff and ramp workers should be clearly set out by the aircraft operator in their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). These SOPs need to include what action staff should take in the event of inclement weather, such as with high wind or electrical storm situations. The procedures need to clearly specify what action is required when embarking and disembarking special needs passengers. The procedures should also include what action staff should take in the event of any relevant apron emergency or be cross referenced to the
Page 8 operator s emergency plan. Consideration should also be given to the ongoing issue of late boarding passengers. The aircraft operator or handling agent must train their staff in safe apron procedures and in handling of passengers. Such training programmes should also include cyclical refresher training. Accidents, incidents and potential hazards involving passengers crossing the apron should not only be reported through the aircraft operators reporting system, but also to the aerodrome operator. Aerobridge Loading For airports where aerobridges are the primary means of boarding passengers onto and off aircraft no specific markings are required on the ground, however, some thought should be given to how passengers will access the aircraft if the aerobridge is unserviceable. A specific contingency plan should be drawn up for each aerobridge to allow for embarking and disembarking passengers if the aerobridge is out of action. References o ICAO Annex 9 Facilitation Twelfth Edition July 2005 o ICAO Aerodrome Design Manual Part 4 Visual Aids Fourth Edition 2004 o IATA Airport Handling Manual 26 th Edition 2006 AHM 630 12 Pg 471 o ACI Apron Safety Handbook New Edition Pending o ACI/IATA Apron Markings and Signs Handbook First Edition 2001 o IATA Airport Development Reference Manual 9 th Edition Jan 2004
Page 9 o UK CAA CAP 642 Airside Safety Management 2 nd Edition 2005 Ch2 Pg 3 o NZCAA Advisory Circular 139.06A Aerodrome Design - Aeroplanes above 5700kg MCTOW February 1993 o CASR Manual of Standards (MOS) Part 139 Aerodromes September 2004
AAGSC RECOMMENDED INDUSTRY PRACTICE PASSENGER SAFETY ON THE APRON