Chapter 14

Airport: Arrival & Departure Arrangements

TOPICS:

14.1. Arrival

14.2. Departure

14.3. Other Responsibilities of the Host Country

Overview:

This chapter seeks to provide an overview and clarification regarding expected protocol and preferred procedures for arrival and departure at the airport closest to the annual meeting venue.

ADB expects that the host country has established relationships with senior airport officials and security. It is intended that the airport experience for ADB delegates and partners is seamless, well planned and executed as agreed in the pre-production phase of the annual meeting.

While the ADB respects that each host country will have its own unique policies as pertains to airport arrival and departure, there are also some required protocols that are to be adhered to, outlined in this document.

In the weeks leading up to the annual meeting, it may be that a stakeholder walk-through of the airport experience is required to be hosted by the nominated senior airport official.

Important Information:

  1. Arrangements for different guest categories
    • VIPs
    • Other Participants
  2. Appointment of focal points
    • Airport reception representatives
    • Transport focal person
    • Liaison officers
  3. Arrangements before the annual meeting
    • Provide a draft airport reception arrangements plan made by the host country during the ADB establishment mission held 8-10 months before the annual meeting.
    • Identify possible issues affecting airport reception.
  4. Confirmation of arrangements before the annual meeting
    • Confirm detailed airport arrangements plan during the technical mission held 3-4 months before the Annual Meeting
    • Provide airport reception plan, including location of the hospitality desks, immigration desks and procedures, signs, holding areas
    • Define other transport responsibilities of the host country.
    • Train all staff and volunteers assigned to work at the airport
  5. Walk-through of airport arrangements
    • Two weeks before the Annual Meeting, do a dry run of the airport reception arrangements to allow for adjustments
    • Before the arrival of the ADB President, carry out a final walk-through

Useful Resources From This Chapter:

  1. Appendix 89 - Sample Conversion Sheet
  2. Appendix 90 - Airport Arrival and Departure Procedures
  3. Appendix 91 - Diagram of Airport Arrival Procedures
  4. Appendix 92 - Diagram of Airport Departures Procedures
  5. Appendix 93 - Arrival and Departure Arrangements Photo Examples
  6. Appendix 94 - Example Airport Arrival Plans
  7. Appendix 95 - Airport and Departure Arrangement Checklist

Related Tasks

14Airport ReceptionDue Date
14.1Discuss airport requirementsJul-2023
14.2Inspect airportJul-2023
14.3Discuss visa upon arrival, if any, and customs requirements for delegates (e.g., international media)Jul-2023
14.4Identify signage and branding requirements throughout the airport and arrival/reception areasJul-2023
14.5Provide draft airport reception planFeb-2024
14.6Finalize VIP and other participants' reception proceduresFeb-2024
14.7Provide airport floor plans (for inclusion in arrangements paper)Feb-2024
14.8Prepare staffing plan to share with the International Airport management teamFeb-2024
14.9Train all staff and volunteersApr-2024
14.10Conduct a dry run of reception procedures with the ADB advance partyApr-2024
14.11Set up reception desk, separate immigration lane, shuttle bus stop, and signsMay-2024
  1.  The host country provides facilities for official participants to be met and assisted on arrival and departure and accorded speedy clearance, free of all taxes, through customs, health, and immigration.
    The host country provides facilities for official participants to be met and assisted on arrival and departure and accorded speedy clearance, free of all taxes, through customs, health, and immigration. This includes VIP treatment as appropriate. The host country can also opt to extend airport reception to other participants as well. The host country shall ensure the availability of English-speaking volunteers and/or personnel to help delegates navigate their way through the airport. A key host or focal person should also be provided within every airport terminal in which participants will transit or arrive. The placement of branded wayfinding signage written in clear English will facilitate the flow of passengers in the airport.
  2. The host country prepares draft airport reception arrangements and presents this to ADB during the establishment mission, held 8–10 months before the Annual Meeting. The suggested checklist in preparing for the arrangements is below. Note that the recommended ‘flow’ of delegates arriving and departing can be viewed in flowchart form at Appendix 90.

Below is a table which outlines the host country's responsibility for airport arrivals and departures, by task.

Airport Arrivals and Departures by Task

Task VIP Other Participants
Create an overall airport action plan.
  • Indicate the ports of entry (i.e., international and domestic airports as well as other ports of entry).
  • Outline communication, coordination, and facilitation plan between immigration, customs, airline officials, hotels, and the Annual Meeting transport desk.
  • Indicate the details of (a) airport reception service, (b) transport coordination service, and (c) hospitality desk in the arrival and departure halls.
 X X
Provide airport site plan and vicinity map.
  • Indicate proposed location of airport reception desks, which should be easily visible to arriving participants.
  • Indicate location of signs.
  • Indicate VIP holding area locations (both arrival and departure).
  • Indicate other participants’ holding area locations (both arrival and departure).
  • Indicate reception flow for VIPs.
  • Indicate reception flow for other participants.
  • Indicate traffic flow for VIPs and other participants.
  • Locate parking lots for buses and VIP cars.
 X X
Agree on identification procedure for participants X X
Arrange reception courtesies by host country officials, including by representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, airport authorities, national airline representatives, and municipal authorities. X X
Identify lounge for VIPs.
  • Identify where ADB personnel and embassy dignitaries will welcome VIPs.
  • Identify where refreshments will be provided.
  • Identify areas for liaison officers, drivers, and accompanying persons.
  • Identify vehicle access for pick-up (e.g., the tarmac for the ADB President)
 X  
Identify arrival gates. X X
Identify branding and signage requirements throughout the arrival and departure areas X X
Identify quarantine, if required.   X
Identify immigration procedures.
  • Identify visa procedures (i.e., visas on arrival).
  • Identify a dedicated number of immigration lines.
 X X
Identify baggage claim procedure.
  • Outline VIP luggage retrieval system.
  • Outline other participants' luggage retrieval system.
 X X
Identify customs procedure. X X
Identify a holding area for participants to escort them to buses.
  • Identify where refreshments will be provided.
  • Identify where the schedule of airport transfers will be posted.
   X
Supply travel itineraries.
  • ADB to provide VIPs' itineraries.
  • Other participants' itineraries to be provided by the professional congress organizer or the local hotel booking agent.
  • Outline coordination plan between the host country, customs, immigration, and airport officials.
  • Outline coordination plan between the host country and the ADB Annual Meeting transport unit.
 X X
Airport Staffing.
  • HC/PCO draft a staffing schedule for Airport arrival and departure
  • Share staffing schedule with airport for approval
  • Provide full name, phone number and all personal information of the staff member in case Airport Management need to do background checks and provide Airport access badges
  • Provide area near or in Arrival area for staff to store personal belongings
 X X
Ensure transport and shuttle service.
  • Arrange chauffeur-driven cars for VIPs (except for the ADB Vice-Presidents, Managing Director General, Dean of the ADB Institute, and Secretary, which will be made available upon their arrival at the hotel where they are booked and not at the airport).
  • Arrange convoy vehicles for VIPs, such as embassy cars.
  • Arrange shuttle service for other participants.
  • Ensure other forms of transport, such as taxis, subway, and public buses.
 X X

Download Airport and Departure Arrangement checklist

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