• The Civil Aviation Ministry has ordered airlines to dispatch passenger bags within 10 minutes.
• Despite the improved baggage delivery performance, airlines still fail to meet the mandated timeframe.
• The ministry has also ordered the international airport in Mumbai to reduce flights to improve landing time.

The civil aviation ministry has ordered some of India’s top airlines to ensure dispatching passengers’ bags within 10 minutes of the plane’s engine shutting down and delivering them within 10 to 30 minutes after landing. The airlines must comply with the order by 26 February. Late baggage delivery has persistently plagued airports across the country.

After monitoring the time it took for luggage to be delivered to passengers at six major airports in India, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) directed seven airlines, including carriers like Air India, Vistara, and IndiGo, to implement necessary measures to ensure timely delivery of baggage. The aviation ministry scrutinized the operations of seven airlines across 3,600 flights. A statement by the ministry indicated that the review exercise began in January and is still ongoing.

Though the performance of all airlines regarding baggage delivery had improved, it didn’t meet the mandated guidelines, as stated by the ministry. According to the mandate, the first baggage should arrive at the baggage belt “within 10 minutes of shutting off the aircraft engine, and the last bag within 30 minutes of the same.” Indian passengers have frequently voiced their frustration with the baggage delivery process at airports.

Sometimes, baggage delays have lasted close to an hour, and the wait time increases if there are technical issues with the baggage belt. Over the past few months, the aviation ministry has been taking several steps to make air travel more seamless. Last week, it ordered the international airport in India’s financial capital, Mumbai, to reduce flights to avoid congestion of air traffic and improve landing time.

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