Chaos at Patna airport as two Air India flights arrive without passenger luggage
PTC Web Desk: Passengers at Patna airport were left frustrated and furious on Saturday after two Air India flights landed without any of the passengers’ checked-in luggage. The affected flights—IX2936 from Bengaluru and XI1634 from Chennai—arrived at Patna airport without carrying the baggage of any of their passengers, creating chaos at the arrival terminal.
Flight IX2936, which brought around 180 passengers from Bengaluru, and flight XI1634 from Chennai, both failed to transport the luggage of passengers, leaving them stranded and angry. Following this, passengers staged a protest at the airport, demanding answers from the airline authorities.
Air India officials explained that due to excessive weight caused by heavy rainfall and short runway limitations at Patna airport, the luggage could not be loaded. “The weather was bad and the runway is short, so we prioritised safety and could not carry the heavy check-in baggage,” said an Air India representative. They further informed passengers that no other Air India flight is scheduled to arrive in Patna today, and promised that the luggage would be delivered to their homes by 8 am the next morning.
Passengers, however, were not satisfied with the explanation. Many of them expressed concerns over the lack of prior communication from the airline. “We were told only after landing that our luggage hadn’t arrived,” said a passenger. “They said the luggage became too heavy due to rain, but no such information was provided in advance. Now, we’ve only been given a receipt and told that the luggage may reach us today or tomorrow,” he added.
A passenger from Chennai who had a connecting flight to Pune said, “I paid Rs 3,500 for excess baggage, and upon arrival was told my luggage would be on belt number 3. But nothing showed up.” Several other passengers also missed their connecting flights due to the missing luggage.
Airport ground staff and CISF personnel were deployed to manage the situation and pacify angry travellers. Air India has assured passengers that their luggage details have been recorded and will be delivered to their respective addresses as soon as possible. However, the airline has yet to give a confirmed timeline.
- With inputs from agencies
