Luggage rooms at airport may stay shut for a while

Mumbai: Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL) has pulled down the luggage rooms, where transit passengers could leave their luggage behind and go about their business around the city. Considering the high security threat to the airports, MIAL has decided not to re-open the luggage rooms inside the terminal building.
"It is difficult to ascertain the contents of a bag inside the luggage room. We discontinued it due to security reasons,'' said an MIAL spokesperson. While the luggage room at domestic terminal was discontinued three months ago, the one at the international terminal was pulled down when part of it was evacuated for reconstruction. The non-availability of luggage rooms is posing a problem for those transit passengers who have a significant time to spend between their flights. Most of them are unable to move around or are forced to carry their luggage along. Though there is a provision of leaving the luggage with the airline, passengers are unwilling to do so.
Though Mumbai airport would reopen the luggage room, it does not seem to be happening any time soon. Also, with the airports being on red alert, the luggage rooms would be located outside the terminal.
Once the revamp of the international terminal is complete, the passengers would be required to drop their bags at the collection centre of the airline, from where it would be transferred to the room. The luggage would also be screened before it is deposited there.
15/12/08 Chinmayi Shalya/Times of India

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Categories: Airports Dec 2008