The Indian government increased airport security after the Pahalgam attack. New regulations demand that all passengers undergo secondary security checks, known as Ladder Point Security Checks, and restrict visitors from entering terminals. CCTV must be operational, and air marshals are deployed correspondingly. Additionally, thorough checks will be conducted on vehicles and people near the airport terminals and parking areas to ensure safety.
Enhancing airport security after the Pahalgam attack
Security measures at airports and other aviation installations have been heightened in response to the Pahalgam attack. A whole host of airports that are close to the border and in the tense areas are already shut, as we reported yesterday. Now, the Indian Bureau of Civil Aviation has temporarily instituted new measures towards air and airport security.
New protocols include rigorous ID checks, random baggage checks, and strict monitoring of airport operations. There will be increased surveillance, thorough scrutiny of passenger and cargo manifests, and stringent checks before anyone enters an aircraft. Travellers should be prepared for longer wait times and more security procedures. You should arrive earlier to accommodate these changes and reduce delays.
With immediate effect, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has mandated that every passenger, without exception, must undergo a secondary ladder point security check (LPSC)—often referred to as a pre-boarding check—before boarding flights at all Indian airports. Concurrently, visitor access to airport terminals has been suspended until further notice as part of the same order.
Under the BCAS directive issued on May 8, airport operators must ensure that every CCTV camera is fully operational, and air marshal deployment is adjusted dynamically to match threat perceptions. All vehicles and individuals approaching terminal entrances, installations, and parking areas will be subjected to intensive screening at road‐block “naaka” checkpoints. Passenger and staff identity cards will be checked rigorously before allowing entry into any secured area, and random baggage examinations will be conducted at entry points to both domestic and international terminals.
The order further stipulates that surveillance of microlite aircraft, aero models, paragliders, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), and drones must be intensified. Airports must deploy additional security personnel around aircraft and impose stringent scrutiny on passenger name records (PNR) and cargo manifests. Non-scheduled flight operations—ranging from air ambulances to charter services—are now under heightened monitoring, with the same rigorous pre-flight security norms applied to general aviation terminals and cargo handling areas.
Here are the notifications from various airlines, asking you to come in earlier.
In these extraordinary times, heightened security measures are taken up across all airports. We request you to allow some extra time for your journey to accommodate security checks and formalities. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) May 8, 2025
In view of an order by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security on enhanced measures at airports, passengers across India are advised to arrive at their respective airports at least three hours prior to scheduled departure to ensure smooth check-in and boarding.…
— Air India (@airindia) May 8, 2025
Important Advisory:
We request all our passengers to reach the airport at least 3 hours before departure, as per BCAS guidelines, to ensure timely security checks and boarding.#flyspicejet #spicejet #TravelAdvisory pic.twitter.com/QZAFyktCfi— SpiceJet (@flyspicejet) May 8, 2025
#TravelUpdate: Due to enhanced security measures at all airports across India, we request you to reach the airport at least 3 hours prior to departure, to ensure a seamless check-in and boarding experience. Please ensure you carry valid government approved photo identification…
— Akasa Air (@AkasaAir) May 8, 2025
Impact
From a traveller’s standpoint, the move to 100 per cent secondary ladder point checks represents a significant shift in passenger processing times and resource requirements. Previously, SLPCS were selectively enforced, following specific security threats. Now, the blanket application across all carriers and airports will inevitably lengthen wait times, particularly during peak periods, unless airports scale up staffing and screening lanes rapidly.
India’s shift to universal SLPCs temporarily abandons such differentiation in favour of an abundance of caution—an understandable response given the recent escalation along the Line of Control and the attendant spill-over security concerns under “Operation Sindoor”.
Bottomline
The new measures mean allowing extra time for check-in and security screening for passengers. It is prudent to arrive at the airport at least two and a half to three hours before international departures and two hours before domestic flights. Please carry valid, government-issued photo identification for yourself and any travelling companions, and be prepared for random baggage checks even before entering the terminal.
What do you make of the new security procedures at Indian airports?
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