New Delhi: Tired of long delays in collecting your baggage after landing at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA)? Here is some good news.
A new ground handling policy, likely to be introduced by January 1, 2010, could make things easier for passengers.
According to a service-level agreement between the airport operator and the ground handling company, the company will be responsible for delivering the first baggage within 20 minutes of the flight's landing. The last baggage should be delivered within 40 minutes. Currently, passengers wait for up to an hour to claim baggage during rush hour.
The introduction of the new policy will also mean less congestion at the airside, fewer vehicles, and consequently, less accidents and baggage theft.
The policy stipulates a maximum of three operators for ground handling at six major and 35 smaller airports across the country. These are the airport operator - such as Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) in the Capital - Air India or its joint venture, and an independent firm selected through competitive bidding.
Ground handling services include manning check-in counters, customer services, lost baggage, aircraft guidance, baggage handling, refuelling and cabin services. "Having common ground handlers will reduce the number of equipment/vehicles plying on the airside, reducing chances of a mishap. Professional ground handlers will also ensure better training for their staff. This will ensure safety and better baggage management," said a DIAL spokesperson.
15/10/09 Faizan Haider/India Today
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