Are You Flying for a Holiday With Young Children?
If you depart from the largest domestic airport, you will be cleared more easily than ever. Vaclav Havel Prague Airport has been accelerating the airport passage for families with children since June. “This is a special passage through Terminal 2 security control, which leaves for Schengen destinations,” says Kateřina Pavlíková from Prague Airport.
The special passage is marked with a paper plane symbol (on the wall) and is intended primarily for parents with children in a stroller. Travellers will use it to visit traditional European holiday destinations such as Greece, Spain, Italy, and more.
“During the security check, the larger children walk through the frame separately; you can walk through the frame with the youngest one in your arms,” says the spokesperson, saying that the workers have also been trained to work with children. The airport also offers tens of prams to ease travel with a child free of charge from the check-in counter to boarding, where the stroller is returned.
“If you are using your own stroller, you have to fold it into the X-ray and have it checked,” remarks Pavlíková. The strollers are then handed over to the airport operator just before boarding, either on the boarding finger or directly in front of a boarded plane.
Business-Class-Like
Accelerating airport passage can also be done in other ways, not just with children. The airport has introduced a new “Security FastTrack” service at Terminal 2, which passengers can buy for 150 crowns, either online in advance or at kiosks located in Terminal 2 near security control.
“You can then use a stand-alone corridor for priority access to the security check to speed up the check-in process, even if you are not in the business class and do not have this FastTrack included in the ticket,” explains Pavlíková. With sufficient Security FastTrack capacity, passengers can decide for themselves at the very last moment, only after assessing the current situation at the airport, whether they will use the service or not.
Automated Inspection
Every traveller, including children of any age, must carry a valid document that is not damaged and has not been reported as lost or stolen for every foreign trip. However, if you are heading out of Schengen, you must also take a border check before leaving or arriving at Terminal 1.
“You can also speed up your check-in thanks to a simple, automated E-Gate border control system. Every EU citizen can use this over 15 years of age if he/she holds a biometric passport,” says Lieutenant Robert Vaněk of the Foreign Police Inspectorate of the Czech Republic, based at Prague Airport. It is not possible to use an ID card to check in this way.
“Passengers hold their passports towards a document reader, which sees a personal information page. When the passport is loaded, it enters a space where its appearance is compared to the one stored in the system. The passenger can leave the border check and continue to the terminal if all is well. If not, the passenger will be asked through the screen to come to the counter with a police officer,” explains Vaněk.
In addition, we encourage all passengers to verify in advance whether a visa or any special documents are required for the destination, such as officially notarized parental consent to leave the unaccompanied child or child accompanied by another person.