In the first of a series covering Mumbai's transportation, MiD DAY brings you the unending complaints regarding airlines mishandling, losing and damaging passengers' luggage
In the first of a series covering Mumbai's transportation, u00a0MiD DAY brings you the unending complaints regarding airlines mishandling, losing and damaging passengers' luggage
Lost luggage, frequent changes in airfare and flight delays are just a few of the several punishments passengers are forced to endure even though they are paying for services provided by the airlines. 
Surprise and anger give way to hopelessness and utter frustration as unfortunate passengers realise that verbal or written complaints are treated like water off a duck's back, as airlines refuse to acknowledge the error of their ways or even extend a simple apology for the inconvenience caused.
There is no dearth of the number of cases related to baggage mishandling that finds its way to consumer bodies, air passenger unions and theu00a0 airport authorities every single day.
Case studies
Take the case of Supratik Roy (34), a businessman from Pune. Roy boarded a flight from Bangkok, which landed at Mumbai airport on December 24.
His baggage, on the other hand, was offloaded to accommodate more than 65 large screen TV sets and other electronic equipment being imported by another passenger travelling on the same flight.
Roy was assured that his baggage would be delivered at the Pune airport in the evening the same day, which, however, did not happen.
Roy was forced to wait for four days, and it was only after MiD DAY spoke to the airline's spokesperson about a quote on the issue, that the baggage was delivered to him in a matter of hours on December 27.
Ashutosh Mishra, a Vasai-based corporate manager and a frequent flier, said, "Baggage handling is very bad.
u00a0
When we hand over our luggage to the airlines, the bags are clean, but when we get them back at the destination airport, it seems like the bags were kept in a dustbin.
Besides, the luggage is damaged almost every time. I have even had my belongings stolen because I had failed to lock the bags properly."
Arshiah Ali, a tourist from Abu Dhabi, says he was forced to endure a similar fate due to bad baggage handling policies in India.
"I flew from Chennai to Delhi and,u00a0 on arrival at the airport, waited at the carousel for my baggage, but it was nowhere to be seen.
u00a0
At the counter, I was informed that my luggage was deemed unclaimed. This was less than 20 minutes after deplaning.
I realised something was amiss when I saw my luggage lying somewhere. It was in bad shape.
The attendants were altogether unsympathetic, uncaring and rather rude and they even refused to give me the airport manager's name until the very end.
It took approximately one-and-a-half hours for them to finally make an official report. The shocker came when I went to the Delhi Tourism Department and the Airports Authority for help. Both were quite uncooperative," said Ali.
He said the airline added insult to injury by offering to compensate for the damage by paying him a paltry Rs 300. Ali insisted that his luggage was expensive and he had just purchased it in Dubai for his trip to India, but to no avail.
Expertsu00a0Speak
Sudhakar Reddy, president, Air Passengers Association of India, said, "The baggage handling process at Mumbai and Chennai is quite pathetic and the people in charge of loading and unloading are careless.
During a flight from Mumbai to Hyderabad, Iu00a0 personally witnessed a loading department staffer literally tossing baggage on the luggage carousel.u00a0 Because of this, bags keep falling off the conveyor belt and get damaged."
"Although we receive several such complaints on a regular basis, most of the complaints come from passengers using international airlines. The number of complaints from domestic flyers are few," he added.
R Desikan, trustee, Consumer Society of India, said, "I have seen how carelessly baggage is handled by the loading staff. Improvement is really necessary.
u00a0
Passengers should also make it a point to bring up their problem before a competent authority like the DGCA, which, I believe, will initiate some action. Also, I feel there should be a penalty payable by airlines for baggage damaged by their staff, which will definitely set things straight."
Police sidelined
"We receive complaints of lost and damaged baggage and conduct an investigation after filing a case. We also enquire with the airport authorities and ask them to do the needful," said Senior police Inspector Dilip Patil of the Sahar police station.
'NOT OUr CONCERN'
A spokesperson of Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL)u00a0 confirmed that several complaints related to baggage mishandling reached them despite it not being their concern. "Though mishandled baggage is an airline issue, MIAL does get complaints regarding this directly at times. In such cases, we pursue the matter with airlines and try and help passengers till the issue is closed," he said. He added that they receive an average of 6 complaints from the domestic and international terminals everyday.
Liz Hurley Struck
In October 2010, Liz Hurley's luggage containing pink dresses went astray on a British Airways flight from London to Glasgow. Hurley tweeted: "Well done British Airways! Me in Glasgow and my suitcase missing with all my pink dresses... Not comforted to know BA has no one on duty to speak to apart from baggage handlers in India". The following morning, her suitcase was delivered to her, and she tweeted: "Yay! Thank you BA. Suitcase here. Relief."
The Campaign
MiD DAY has begun a campaign to stand up for airline passengers facing regular issues like lost, delayed or damaged baggage. If you happen to be a victim or know anyone who is or has been one, please send in your story to MiD DAY at inandout@mid-day.com
ADVERTISEMENT
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
