- SUMMARY
- Airlines were earlier violating the baggage delivery mandate framed by IATA.
- Now, they along with GHAs are making sure that baggage on conveyor belt is delivered on time.
- Aviation security regulator in February intervened in this matter.
It only needed an intervention from the aviation security watchdog and see, the timing of baggage delivery at six major Indian airports has improved significantly. Previously, many passengers had to wait for a long time near the conveyor belt area to pick up their luggage after landing. But now, the scenario has changed.
Huge Improvements in Baggage Delivery at Indian Airports
In January 2024, a survey conducted by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) revealed that only 62 percent of passengers at major Indian airports were receiving their luggage at conveyor belts within 30 minutes of flight arrival. This timing is a benchmark set by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). This organization mandates that airlines should deliver bags within 30 minutes of engine shutdown. It was clear that most of the Indian airlines were violating this mandate.
In February, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) intervened in the matter and asked seven Indian airlines namely IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, SpiceJet, Vistara, AIX Connect, and Akasa Air to deliver passenger baggage within 30 minutes at six major airports- Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad & Bengaluru. Airlines were given a deadline of February 26 to improve the luggage deliveries.
Now, improvement is here. In May 2024, BCAS found that 92.5% of the passengers traveling to 6 major Indian airports named above have received their luggage within 30 minutes. This means that Indian airlines are now properly following the international standards.
What Changed?
You might be wondering, what has changed in the past few months that airlines achieved this monumental increase. Various factors are involved in this rise. Both airlines as well as the ground handling agencies joined forces to improve these numbers.
Airlines have invested in the modernization of their baggage-handling equipment. Ground Handling Agencies (GHAs) have shifted their focus towards efficient as well as faster service, and hence deployed additional resources. The operations of ground staffers have been streamlined for faster processing. Protocols are now more stringent compared to before.
According to the mandate from BCAS, after the engine shutdown, the first bag should arrive at the conveyor belt within 10 minutes. Last baggage delivery should be under 30 minutes of chokes on. With this initiative, the timing of baggage delivery is expected to reduce at other Indian airports as well, in a phased manner.
Not just baggage delivery, airlines are now streamlining the overall baggage system. Air India recently announced the introduction of its Self-Baggage Drop (SBD) facility at Ahmedabad Airport. In April, Chennai and Goa Airports received their first SBD facilities, exclusive for IndiGo passengers. At Bengaluru Airport, Air India launched the SBD facility for San Francisco-bound passengers.
Conclusion
At six Indian airports namely Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, the luggage delivery timings of airlines were horrible. More than 30% of passengers were not receiving their luggage within 30 minutes, which is an international standard framed by IATA. Now, after intervention from BCAS, there is a significant improvement in these timings.
What do you think about this improvement in baggage delivery timelines at major Indian airports? Discuss in the comment section.
With Inputs From The Hindu Business Line
Featured Image Credits: Freepik
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