‘All my medicines are in that luggage, I can’t wait another day’: Chaos at Patna airport as 2 Air India Express flights land without baggage; flyers promised home delivery | Patna News
PATNA: Passengers arriving on two Air India Express flights at Patna’s Jayprakash Narayan International Airport on Saturday morning were stunned to find that none of their checked baggage had made it to the city. What began as a routine landing turned into chaos as weary flyers circled the empty conveyor belts only to realise their belongings were missing entirely.The incident involved flights IX-2936 from Bengaluru and IX-1634 from Chennai, which landed at 8.23am and 8.50am, respectively. Passengers were directed to collect their luggage from belts 4 and 3, but after prolonged waits, it became clear that no baggage was arriving.“I waited for more than an hour, but the belt was empty,” said Vivek Sharma, a passenger from Bengaluru.
‘Luggage to be delivered to passengers’ home addresses’
“Airport staff informed us that due to bad weather in Bengaluru, our luggage was not loaded. Despite repeated enquiries at the airline’s counter, we were given no clear answers about where our bags were or when we would get them back,” Sharma added.Tempers flared as frustrated travellers confronted airline staff. One furious flyer shouted that the airline should be shut down if it could not handle basic operations. Another demanded same-day delivery. “All my medicines are in that luggage. I can’t wait another day,” he said.CISF personnel and airline staff had to step in to manage the crowd, assuring passengers that arrangements were being made to bring the baggage on subsequent flights. Airline representatives blamed the issue on bad weather in Bengaluru and Chennai, compounded by Patna airport’s short runway. They also cited weight restrictions and safety protocols as reasons for not loading the baggage.“The luggage will be delivered to your home addresses once it arrives,” airline staff told the crowd.Airport officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the primary issue was the aircraft’s load factor. “This happens occasionally when departing from Patna where airlines are forced to unload checked baggage to meet the maximum take-off weight. The airport’s shorter runway makes it more likely,” said an official.As of Saturday evening, Air India had not issued an official statement. Airport authorities, however, indicated that the missing luggage would likely reach Patna by Sunday.Affected passengers remained stuck with little more than their cabin bags and mounting frustration.The episode has once again placed Air India in the spotlight, raising questions about its operational preparedness and passenger communication.
