Air India Express flight leaves luggage behind in Kuwait, many passengers left shocked at Chennai airport
By Deepu Mohan | First Published Jan 8, 2025, 6:13 PM ISTMany Air India Express passengers from Kuwait to Chennai were left without luggage due to "payload restrictions".
Chennai: Several flyers of Air India Express from Kuwait were left shocked at Chennai Airport on Monday after discovering that their check-in luggage was missing from the conveyor belt. The airline's explanation - that the luggage was left behind in Kuwait to maintain the air haul weight - only added to the passengers' outrage.
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The incident involved an A320 flight that landed in Chennai at 6:30 am with 176 passengers on board. As they arrived at the arrival terminal, they were unable to find their luggage on the conveyor belt. Confrontations with the airline's ground staff ensued, with passengers expressing their shock and disappointment.
According to Air India Express, payload restrictions necessitated leaving some checked-in baggage behind in Kuwait. The airline apologized for the inconvenience and assured passengers that the remaining luggage would be delivered to their doorsteps on Wednesday and Thursday.
However, aviation expert C Mohan, a retired Air India official, attributed the incident to a clear mistake on the part of the airline. He emphasized that airport managers must plan ahead to ensure that the weight of passengers and luggage remains within regulated take-off weight (RTOW) limits.
Mohan pointed out that factors such as temperature, time of operation, and sector distance play a crucial role in determining RTOW. In this case, he suggested that the airport manager should have restricted the number of passengers to 120-140 to avoid exceeding weight limits.
Furthermore, Mohan stressed that separating passengers from their check-in luggage is not permissible. He noted that such incidents not only disappoint passengers but also impose additional burdens on airlines.
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