Air France is introducing a new initiative to assist connecting passengers at Paris Charles de Gaulle, arising from a reinforced partnership with airport operator Groupe ADP.

The initiative, known as ‘Short Connection Pass’, will automatically prioritise the transfer of passengers with reduced connecting times at the hub to alleviate problems from unforeseen delays.

Air France says the scheme is being introduced this summer as part of the ‘Connect France’ tie-up with Groupe ADP unveiled at the Paris air show in June.

It will assess the time between arriving and departing connecting flights, and their locations, in order to smooth passage for passengers in cases where the normal connection interval falls below a certain threshold.

If a flight connection meets the limited-time criteria, arriving passengers receive a message that they are eligible for priority access at security checkpoints and border control.

The aim is to minimise time spent at such points in order to ensure passengers reach their departure gate.

Charles de Gaulle executive vice-president of operations and innovation Regis Lacote says the scheme, which is triggered automatically, is “simple for passengers and operationally effective”.

Air France points out that nearly half of its daily passengers connect through Charles de Gaulle, and Groupe ADP has implemented a dedicated route with redesigned signage.