A significant move has been taken by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) to streamline baggage handling processes for all major Indian airlines.
BCAS wrote to seven major airlines—Air India, IndiGo, Akasa, SpiceJet, Vistara, Air India Express Connect, and Air India Express—on February 16, 2024, requesting that they take the appropriate steps to guarantee luggage delivery on time.
BCAS carried out a comprehensive survey at all six of the country’s major airports, examining the activities of seven airlines and evaluating more than 3600 flight movements and baggage delivery procedures.
As per regulations, “airlines are required to ensure the delivery of passengers’ baggage within a timeframe of 10 to 30 minutes following the aircraft’s engine shutdown.”
As specified in the Service Quality Requirements of Operation, Management, and Delivery Agreement (OMDA), the directive is a response to worries about baggage delivery punctuality and complaints received via social media and other channels alleging that passengers have been harmed by delayed baggage delivery after arriving at the airport.
In January 2024, the Aviation Ministry launched a stringent monitoring program under the direction of Jyotiraditya Scindia, BCAS. This test monitors the amount of time it takes for luggage to reach assigned belts at six major airports throughout the nation.
Although there has been a discernible uptick in performance since the review’s beginning, none of the airlines have regularly fulfilled the requirements.
It is even more important to handle and transport luggage quickly because the OMDA states that the first luggage must be on the conveyor belt within 10 minutes of the engine being turned off.
At the moment, six significant airports are the focus of the monitoring activities. BCAS has, however, instructed the airlines to expand the scope of their compliance efforts to include all airports under their operational jurisdiction. The goal of this expanded scope is to guarantee consistency and adherence to required service requirements throughout the aviation industry.
“BCAS has set a deadline of 10 days for airlines to implement the required measures, with a target date of February 26, 2024. Failure to comply with these directives may result in further regulatory action,” an MoCA official said.
The action taken by BCAS highlights how crucial it is to improve the traveler experience and operational effectiveness in the aviation sector. Airlines may improve customer happiness and maintain the highest levels of service excellence by prioritizing timely luggage delivery.