Ruth Haines
Airside refers to the section of an airport that is beyond security checkpoints, customs, and passport control. It is the area where passengers, airline staff, and airport workers have access to aircraft, terminals, and other restricted areas. Airside is accessible only to authorised individuals, such as those with valid boarding passes, airport personnel, and crew members, and it is separated from landside, which includes areas open to the general public, such as check-in counters and waiting areas.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | The part of an airport nearest the aircraft, beyond the security checkpoints and where passengers, airline staff, and airport workers have access to aircraft, terminals, and other restricted areas. |
| Accessibility | Accessible only to airport personnel, crew members, and individuals who have cleared security, such as passengers with valid boarding passes. |
| Security | Airside areas prevent potential security threats or unauthorized interactions with aircraft by segregating areas accessible only to authorized individuals. |
| Boundary | Security check, customs, passport control, etc. |
| Opposite | Landside, which refers to areas open to the general public, such as check-in counters, waiting areas, and the airport's exterior. |
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What You'll Learn
Airside refers to the area beyond security checkpoints
Airside areas are those that require a person to pass through a security checkpoint to access. They are sometimes referred to as "sterile areas". Airside includes the movement area of an airport, adjacent terrain and buildings, and portions thereof, as marked on the plan at Attachment D of the Airside Vehicle Control Handbook. It includes areas provided for the take-off and landing of aircraft, as well as the movement of aircraft on the surface, aircraft parking aprons, service roads, and ground equipment areas.
Airside is also the area beyond immigration and customs control. References to the "airfield", "aircraft operations area", "AOA", or "secured areas" generally refer to outdoor airside areas or areas not accessible to passengers. These areas are subject to different rules and restrictions, which can be applied by demarcating a specific area of the airport. For example, a virtual "ring" can be created around a remote stand where a diplomatic aircraft has landed, allowing military operations to take place within that ring.
Airside access is tightly controlled. All individuals must have a valid ID and a reason to be there. They must also pass through a screening point, and any tools or equipment must be approved and checked by screeners. This includes staff and crew, who are subject to screening unless they have state-issued dispensations.
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Only authorised personnel are allowed airside
Airports are divided into different areas, each serving a specific purpose and accessible only to authorised individuals. Airside is one such area. It refers to the section of an airport that is beyond security checkpoints, customs, and passport control. Only authorised personnel are allowed airside, and for good reason: this segregation prevents potential security threats and unauthorised interactions with aircraft.
Airside is the area nearest the aircraft, where passengers, airline staff, and airport workers have access to aircraft, terminals, and other restricted areas. It includes the movement area of an airport, adjacent terrain, and buildings, as well as areas within terminal buildings beyond immigration and customs control. This is where aircraft take off, land, and are parked, and where ground equipment and service roads are located.
Access to the airside area is tightly controlled. Only those who have cleared security are permitted entry. This includes crew members and passengers with valid boarding passes. Other airport staff, such as maintenance and repair workers, must use approved vehicles to move within the airside area and have their tools and equipment screened and approved.
Diplomatic staff with airport IDs may have direct access to their jets, but they are usually still subject to screening. In emergencies, first responders such as fire and ambulance crews can also access the airside area without passes or screening. However, they must have a valid reason for their presence, and abuse of access is not tolerated.
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Airside includes the aircraft movement area
Airports are divided into landside and airside areas. The airside is the section of an airport that is beyond security checkpoints, including customs and passport control. Only authorised individuals can access the airside, including airline staff, airport workers, and passengers who have cleared security. This is in contrast to the landside, which refers to areas accessible to the general public, such as check-in counters, waiting areas, and the airport's exterior.
The airside includes the aircraft movement area, which is the part of the airport provided for the takeoff and landing of aircraft and the movement of aircraft on the surface. This includes aircraft parking aprons, service roads, and ground equipment areas. The apron is where aircraft are frequently towed to and from, including to MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) hangars. It also includes taxiways, which are the paths that aircraft use to move to and from the runway.
To access the airside, individuals must pass through a security checkpoint. This includes screening and may involve checking tools and equipment. Only approved vehicles are allowed on the taxiways and must be marked, radio-equipped, and have lights. The airside also includes remote parking stands for aircraft, which are located away from the terminal building and may be restricted by the airline or aircraft owner.
The airside is a secure area that prevents potential security threats and unauthorised interactions with aircraft. It is important to monitor and control access to the airside to ensure the safety and security of airport operations. This includes enforcing restrictions on the use of IDs and passes, as unauthorised individuals may attempt to gain access to aircraft.
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Airside includes the customs examination area
Airside refers to the parts of an airport that require a person to pass through a security checkpoint to access. This includes the area nearest to the aircraft, beyond immigration and customs control. Airside is generally considered to be the movement area of an airport, including the areas for aircraft take-off and landing, as well as the movement of aircraft on the ground.
Customs and immigration are checkpoints that international travellers must pass through before leaving the airport. Immigration checks involve verifying a traveller's identity, purpose of visit, and right to enter a country. This often includes an inspection of the traveller's passport and visa, if required. Customs, on the other hand, involves declaring and inspecting any goods travellers are bringing into the country. Officers may search people's belongings for contraband or prohibited items, and travellers may be fined or have items confiscated if they exceed allowances or bring in illegal items.
At the customs examination area, travellers may be stopped by customs officers, who determine whether they are admissible to the country. Officers may search luggage and electronic devices such as laptops and cell phones, although this is a contested legal issue. Travellers are generally allowed to proceed to their flights after passing through the customs examination area.
It is important to note that the customs process may vary depending on the country and specific airport. In some cases, travellers may go through customs before boarding their flight in a foreign country, while in other cases, they may only go through customs upon arrival at their final destination. Additionally, some countries have mutual agreements to speed up the customs and immigration process for travellers.
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Landside is the opposite of airside
The airside area includes duty-free shops and lounges in most airports. It is generally the area beyond security and/or passport control. In other words, the area accessible only to airport staff and passengers holding valid boarding cards for imminent travel. It may also be called the sterile area, as everyone in the area has been security checked, a requirement given everyone's proximity to flights and aircraft.
The landside area, on the other hand, includes check-in and ticketing desks and is not considered a "secure" area in the same sense as the airside area. The security checkpoint or passport control is the basic dividing line between the two areas.
In the United States before 9/11, the general public had access to the airside area, but now it is like most other places where the airside area is only accessible to passengers. In some countries, such as New Zealand and Australia, anyone, even those not travelling, can still go airside in domestic terminals.
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Frequently asked questions
Air side at an airport refers to the areas beyond the security checkpoints, such as customs, immigration, and passport control. Only authorised individuals, such as crew members, passengers with valid boarding passes, and airport personnel, are allowed access to these areas.
Segregating the air side of an airport helps prevent potential security threats and unauthorised interactions with aircraft.
Aircraft operations areas, secured areas, and service roads are all considered air side. The movement area of an airport, including runways and taxiways, is also considered air side.
Only individuals who have cleared security are allowed access to the air side of an airport. This includes passengers with valid boarding passes, crew members, and airport personnel.
Land side refers to areas of the airport that are open to the general public, such as check-in counters, waiting areas, and the airport's exterior. Air side, on the other hand, is restricted to authorised individuals only and includes areas beyond security checkpoints, customs, and immigration.
