India's largest airline, IndiGo, continues to grapple with severe operational disruptions, with the baggage handling system emerging as a critical failure point. Visuals from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport reveal a massive buildup of unclaimed luggage, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded without their belongings even a day after landing.
Mountains of Luggage and Frustrated Passengers
Viral videos and images from the terminal show hundreds of suitcases lined up neatly, yet tragically separated from their owners. Many travellers have reported not receiving their checked-in bags even 24 hours after their flights landed. The airline and ground staff face a monumental challenge in reuniting this sea of luggage with the correct passengers, with no immediate clarity on a resolution timeline.
A senior IndiGo official, speaking to PTI on Sunday, stated the airline will conduct a "root cause analysis" of the recent flight disruptions. These were triggered by a combination of factors, though the immediate priority is stabilising operations. This stabilisation process is expected to be completed by December 10.
Operational Struggles and Government Intervention
The official acknowledged that a lack of proper crew planning while implementing new flight duty time limitations (FDTL) norms was a key reason for the meltdown. However, the official defended the airline's pilot strength, stating, "Our pilot numbers are fine, while we may not have the luxury of having a buffer."
In an internal video message to staff from the operational control centre, CEO Pieter Elbers said the airline's On-Time Performance (OTP) was expected to be around 75% on Sunday, December 7. He added that efforts were made to improve the system to operate roughly 1,650 flights that day. Elbers emphasized that cancellations were being announced earlier to prevent customers from unnecessarily coming to the airport.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has stepped in decisively. According to a government update, refunds totalling ₹610 crore have been issued for cancelled or severely delayed flights as of Saturday. Furthermore, 3,000 pieces of baggage have been delivered to passengers across the country. The government had directed IndiGo to complete refunds by Sunday evening and deliver all separated baggage within two days.
Path to Normalcy?
In a press release, MoCA stated that air travel is stabilising rapidly across India. While all other domestic airlines are operating smoothly at full capacity, IndiGo's performance has shown steady improvement. The ministry noted that IndiGo's flight operations increased from 706 on December 5 to 1,565 on December 6, and were likely to reach up to 1,650 by the end of Sunday, December 7. The airline claims 137 out of its 138 destinations were in operation on that day.
As the airline works towards its December 10 deadline for stabilisation, the images of piled-up luggage at Delhi airport serve as a stark reminder of the widespread passenger inconvenience caused by the operational breakdown. The focus now remains on clearing the backlog and restoring full reliability.
