Scores of Indian expatriates in the Gulf who came home for Eid found their baggage left behind due to the massive festival rush.
Executives at some of the Indian carriers said a majority of travellers coming home for the festival had packed heavy bags and were even willing to pay excess baggage charges. But due to load penalty issues — not going beyond the maximum take-off weight of an aircraft without offloading passengers or
carrying less fuel — meant that bags had to be left behind.
The problem happened mainly with Indian carriers which deploy single-aisle aircraft like Airbus A-320 and Boeing 737 and not large jets on India-Gulf routes. Some airports, especially in south India, saw heated exchanges between passengers and airline staff when the flyers found while they were home for the festival, their baggage — with Eid gifts for family members — had been left behind.
"We deeply regret the inconvenience caused to our valuable customers from Dubai whose luggage got offloaded due to heavy Eid travel rush. We are ensuring that the offloaded baggages are delivered in the consequent SpiceJet and other airlines' flights," SpiceJet spokesman Ajay Jasra said.
A senior Air India executive said this issue was faced mainly with AI Express flights that operate between Gulf and south India. "Passengers were flying with lots of heavy baggage. Aircraft were carrying more fuel to factor in diversions due to bad weather (heavy rains) or longer than usual hovering times at airports. Due to this bags were left behind and we are making all attempts to ensure that they reach the passengers at the earliest," the executive said.
08/07/16 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India
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Executives at some of the Indian carriers said a majority of travellers coming home for the festival had packed heavy bags and were even willing to pay excess baggage charges. But due to load penalty issues — not going beyond the maximum take-off weight of an aircraft without offloading passengers or
carrying less fuel — meant that bags had to be left behind.
The problem happened mainly with Indian carriers which deploy single-aisle aircraft like Airbus A-320 and Boeing 737 and not large jets on India-Gulf routes. Some airports, especially in south India, saw heated exchanges between passengers and airline staff when the flyers found while they were home for the festival, their baggage — with Eid gifts for family members — had been left behind.
"We deeply regret the inconvenience caused to our valuable customers from Dubai whose luggage got offloaded due to heavy Eid travel rush. We are ensuring that the offloaded baggages are delivered in the consequent SpiceJet and other airlines' flights," SpiceJet spokesman Ajay Jasra said.
A senior Air India executive said this issue was faced mainly with AI Express flights that operate between Gulf and south India. "Passengers were flying with lots of heavy baggage. Aircraft were carrying more fuel to factor in diversions due to bad weather (heavy rains) or longer than usual hovering times at airports. Due to this bags were left behind and we are making all attempts to ensure that they reach the passengers at the earliest," the executive said.
08/07/16 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India
