Airport Check-in: Taxi drivers get foot-washing area

— -- Indianapolis International has tentative plans to install floor-level sinks for Muslim drivers in a new taxi staging area. The sinks would more easily permit them to wash their feet before prayer. The plan has drawn complaints from some local citizens who contend that such an accommodation for a religious group at a public facility would be unconstitutional.

The airport is building a new main terminal and related facilities, including a building where taxicabs and drivers wait before lining up at the terminal. The plan calls for a floor sink in the men's and women's restrooms in the new taxi building. The facilities will open in late 2008. Airport spokesman David Dawson says the plan for the sinks is preliminary and taxpayer funds wouldn't be used to pay for them. The drivers now use counter-level sinks, he says. "It can get messy, wet and dangerous," he says.

DUBAI

Ads at ground level aimed at fliers

An advertising company in the U.K. plans to feature giant ads on the ground that will be visible to passengers from the air as flights approach the runway for landing. London-based Ad-Air says its first ad will be featured at Dubai International on Oct. 22.

"Ad-Air has worked closely with local councils and planning departments to obtain the necessary approvals and permissions in local areas around the world," spokeswoman Amy Seaman says.

The company says it's in talks with several airports, including London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, Denver, Los Angeles International, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and Tokyo Haneda.

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Each ad will be about 215,000 square feet and sit on a frame at just above ground level. Fences and landscaping would ensure that the ads are not visible to local residents and passersby, the company says.

JACKSONVILLE

Vigilant Solutions registers travelers

Vigilant Solutions became the third company to open an official registered traveler lane when it opened for business at Jacksonville International last week. The registered traveler program, overseen by the Transportation Security Administration, provides speedy security clearance through a separate line for pre-screened subscribers.