TRAVEL

DOCUMENTS

CHECKING
GUIDELINES

Ground Operations
Department
 INDEX
1. INTRODUCTION

2. OFFICIAL TRAVEL DOCUMENT (PASSPORT)

2.1 Types of passports

2.2 Requirements

3. HOW TO VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY DOCUMENTS

3.1 Document check

3.2 Various physical identification marks/ Face Profile

4. UNLAWFUL TRANSPORT OF PASSENGERS

4.1 Most Common Reasons for Unlawful Transport of Passengers

4.2 Consequences of Transporting Unlawful Passengers

4.3 Responsibilities of Himalaya Airlines Employee

4.3.1 Training

4.3.2 Document Checks

H9-GOD-TRA VEL DOC SOP 2020 Page 1 of 10

 1. INTRODUCTION

It is of high importance that all passengers’ travel documents will be checked prior to departure
by the Check-in Agent against the rules and regulation of the country of departure, country/ies
via which the passenger will travel to and country of destination. The documents must be
completely genuine and valid and must belong to the person travelling.
As genuine documents become more difficult to alter and/or counterfeit, the use of genuine,
unaltered documents by impostors has become increasingly a commonplace. Genuine,
unaltered documents presented by impostors are difficult to detect but with by applying the
correct measures at Check – In, Immigration Control and at the Boarding Gate the likelihood of
detection is increased considerably.

For the purpose of aiding airport service personnel in performance of their important duties
Himalaya Airlines Ground Operations Department has issued these Travel Documents Checking
Guidelines as it is of high importance that all station of departure will check the
documents thoroughly as an unlawful transport of a passenger can result in fines and
other cost related issues to the transport of the passenger back to the place of origin.

THESE GUIDELINES SHALL BE STUDIED BY ALL CHECK-IN AND GATE SERVICE

PERSONNEL.

2. OFFICIAL TRAVEL DOCUMENT (PASSPORT)

A passport is an official document issued by the competent public authority to national or to

alien residents of the issuing country. Passengers must hold a passport valid for all the countries
to or via which they travel unless exemption of countries are specified.

2.1 Types of passports

 N o r ma l passports
 A lie n s passports
 C h ild r e n ’ s identity cards are issued to minors instead of passports
 Diplomatic to consular passports issued to diplomatic, consular and other government
officials on missions entitling the bearer to diplomatic or consular status under
international law and customs
 O f f ic i a l , special or service passports
 I n t e r n a t i o n a l Red Cross passports
 J o in t passports (family passports)

H9-GOD-TRA VEL DOC SOP 2020 Page 2 of 10

 2.2 Requirements

Most countries have specific requirements for passport and/or other accepted document’s
validity. For example the passport and/or document must not be damaged, must carry the
holder’s signature if mandatory, must have at least one empty page left for official use and/or
must not be expired (3 months beyond period of intended stay).

A visa is an entry in a passport or other travel document made by a (consular) official of a

government to indicate that the bearer has been granted authority to enter or re-enter the
country concerned. Note that a visa, transit visa or a visa exemption for country does not
guarantee admission to that country. The final decision rests with the competent authorities at
the port of entry in the country concerned.

3. HOW TO VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY DOCUMENTS

In general the passenger is responsible to meet all the national travel regulation. However the
airline is being held responsible if the passenger fails to do so.

3.1 Document Check

 All documents of passengers must be checked against the national regulations of

country/countries via which they will travel and country of destination.

 The identity of the passenger must be checked against the picture (where
applicable/possible biometrical data) of the passport and/or visa.

 Look at the person and look at the photo in the documents to be compared to. Ensure
the person in the document is the person standing before you by

 The validity of all documents must be checked. E. g. a visa must be valid on the time of
arrival, documents may not be expired (some countries require passports to be valid for a
certain period beyond the date of entry into such a country).

 The genuineness of all required documents must be checked. Obvious signs of forgery
are expected to be detected by the check-in agent (e. g. replacement of photography).
In any doubt your supervisor should be contacted.

H9-GOD-TRA VEL DOC SOP 2020 Page 3 of 10

 

 The suitability of travel purpose should be checked whenever there are obvious signs of
inconsistency, e. g. no hold luggage on long-haul flights, insufficient language skills of
the passport held.

If any suspicion or a doubt is in place, then:

 Check the nationality and if you know the language, speak to them in that language.
 Check the age, height, signature and any visible marks.
 Check the face, chin, ear lobe, eyes, nose and forehead for closer scrutiny.
 Observe the person for suspicious behaviour-nervousness, avoiding eye contact,
sweating, and looks around.

3.2 Various physical identification marks/ Face Profile

3.2.1 FOREHEAD

Foreheads come in various shapes and sizes and can be obscured by hair, hat or turban.

H9-GOD-TRA VEL DOC SOP 2020 Page 4 of 10

 3.2.2 EYES
 Colour
 Eyelids
 Distance between the eyes
 Relationship to the rest of the face
 Shape or size

3.2.3 EARS

a) When examining the ear, look at both the point of attachment to the face and the
individual sections of the outer ear LOBE (the rounded projections, especially a rounded,
projecting anatomical part).

b) Where is the ear positioned on the person’s head?

c) Do the ears line up?
d) How is the point of attachment?

HIGH POSITION
LOW POSITION

H9-GOD-TRA VEL DOC SOP 2020 Page 5 of 10

 3.2.4 NOSE (the most dominant feature of the face)

REMEMBER! “Centre of the “Triangle of Recognition”

What are the characteristics of the face?

 Size (small/medium/large)
 Length/Width
 Nostril size/shape
 Irregularities
 Hook
 Button
 Crooked
 Nose jobs – before and after

3.2.5 FACE

EXAMINE THE MOUTH OBSERVE THE JAW LINE

 Lips
 Thickness
 Shape
 Relative position to the upper & lower jaw

H9-GOD-TRA VEL DOC SOP 2020 Page 6 of 10

 UNIQUE FACIAL FEATURES
 Scars or birth marks
 Acne or pockmarks
 Dimples and moles
 Tattoos or piercing
CHIN AND CLEFT  Facial marks never change, never
moves UNLESS birth marks/moles
are removed

BONE STRUCTURE NECK

- prominence of cheek bones or brow ridge Location of Adam’s apple and its
- curvature of upper and lower jaw thickness

H9-GOD-TRA VEL DOC SOP 2020 Page 7 of 10

THE FACE TRIANGLE RECOGNITION PROCEDURE
If in any further doubt or suspicion is in place in regards of the
legitimacy passport (document) and verifying that it belongs to its
bearer it is necessary to use the so called face triangle recognition
procedure.
To describe the system in few words it draws forward landmarks or
features of the subject’s face that are compared to the picture of the
passport or other document.
It is a simple procedure can easily be applied just by studying the

training material here below.

As a person approaches us, our brain automatically focuses on the
Triangle of recognition, processes the information obtained, and
makes the determination if we do in fact recognize this person. This
process is done instantaneously.
The triangle of recognition is the area directly in the centre of the
face. It encompasses the eyes, nose and mouth area. When doing
facial comparisons, we want to avoid total concentration on this area
of the face.
POINTS TO EXAMINE ON A FACE
1. Forehead 2. Ears 3. Ears 4. Nose
5. Mouth 6. Jaw line 7. Chin 8. Facial marks
9. Eyebrows 10. Moustache/Beard 11. Part or hair line

SEGMENT

H9-GOD-TRA VEL DOC SOP 2020 Page 8 of 10

 3.2.6 OTHER FEATURES TO BE AWARE OF

4. UNLAWFUL TRANSPORT OF PASSENGERS

4.1 Most Common Reasons for Unlawful Transport of Passengers

Himalaya Airlines GOD Department has defined three different categories indicating the
most common cause of unlawful transport of passengers:

(i) Working error by the check-in agent (e. g. expired passport, invalid visa, missing
empty page, etc. NOT DETECTED).
(ii) Passenger obtains transportation by devious means (e. g. detectable forged
passport)
(iii) Unavoidable for the airline (e. g. jump-off in transit)

4.2 Consequences of Transporting Unlawful Passengers

The unlawful transport regularly results in fines high fines depending on the countries’
regulations. Additional costs may occur such as the immediate removal of the passenger or any
other expenditure in connection with the unlawful transport. In special circumstances an airline
may be subject to further repression by one country, e. g. loss of traffic rights or the seizure of
an aircraft.

H9-GOD-TRA VEL DOC SOP 2020 Page 9 of 10

4.3 Responsibilities of HIMALAYA AIRLINES employee

4.3.1 Training

All Himalaya Airlines employee involved with the check-in of passengers and the
performance passenger boarding gate shall study these guidelines that will aid them in
checking of travel documents. Supervisors shall ensure that their personnel study the
guidelines and the guidelines are readily available to appropriate personnel.

4.3.2 Documents Checks

Passport (documents) checks must always be performed at check-in and at the

boarding gates. Where available and if called for equipment (e. g. document scanners)
can be used to verify documents. In higher risk areas it should also be considered to do
random checks to look for forged documents.

H9-GOD-TRA VEL DOC SOP 2020 Page 10 of 10