Security screening capacity during COVID-19 recovery: simulation study of a domestic airport in Brazil

Abstract

With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, air travel has suffered a dramatic financial and operational crisis, in which quarantine and social distancing have suddenly become habitual and almost ubiquitous. When such measures are taken, the airport throughput capacity is reduced, something that is missed in the current design guidelines. This capacity temporary shortage can undermine system recovery, demanding proper treatment in the post-pandemic world. However, the capacity loss is offset by demand shortage: the relationship between both will tell if a given infrastructure fits the actual needs. This research acknowledges that social distancing might be an important factor for the planning and operation of airports in the foreseeable future and presents a methodological contribution based on simulation. The security screening queueing area of a busy Brazilian domestic airport was assessed under different combinations of %PHP (i.e., the percentage of peak hour passengers) and social distancing. The results indicate that the existing queueing area cannot withstand pre-pandemic passenger traffic under COVID-19 social distancing procedures. However, the recovery rate was found to be low enough to allow social distancing for the most critical time window. The proposed methodology, discussions, and recommendations can be valuable for a more resilient approach to airport design regarding eventual disruptive events in the future.