NEW DELHI: Alleged slow handling of baggage due to passengers carrying power banks and other prohibited items in their checked-in baggage on Thursday led to delays at the
Indira Gandhi International (
IGI)
airport with passengers having to wait in long queues to go through. Hundreds of bags were also reported to be misplaced, further leading to chaos at the airport.
Sources say some flights were delayed due to the entire process even as passengers took to Twitter to express their grievances. Among those affected by the slow process included actor Hema Malini and former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.
Airlines also took to Twitter to inform passengers that the situation was out of their hands. “We apologise for the inconvenience. We would like to inform you that Delhi airport has been facing challenges with the baggage handling system post check-in. All airlines and hundreds of bags have been impacted and not being loaded onto flights. The airlines have taken this up with Delhi airport officials and they are working on a solution,” said Vistara in a statement on Thursday.
DIAL confirmed the problem and said it had primarily risen due a high number of checked-in baggages found carrying prohibited items.
"With the onset of holiday weekend, Delhi Airport today experienced an increase level of dangerous goods, particularly power banks and lighters, in customer checked-in luggage. The incident rate today was 30% higher than an average day. This impacted the baggage handling processing due to the manual reconciliation of the suspect baggage with the passenger and removal of the prohibited item,” said a DIAL spokesperson.
“Passengers are being reminded, not to pack these items in their checked-luggage to avoid inconvenience. This has addressed the instances of passengers sending their baggage with prohibited items on the BHS and hence the issue is now under control,” the spokesperson added.
TOI had earlier reported how a Hyderabad bound Vistara aircraft had to return to T-3 after taxiing out on March 22 after a passenger belatedly remembered he had kept a power-bank in his checked-in baggage. Sources say extra precaution is being taken by all airlines after the incident, leading to the process of checking-in slowing down further.
Items like powerbanks, e-cigarettes and loose lithium batteries are strictly prohibited in the check-in luggage due to fears of them catching fire.
