Deliver all baggage within 30 minutes of landing: Regulator to airlines

Deliver all baggage within 30 minutes of landing: Regulator to airlines

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has directed seven airlines in India to ensure faster baggage delivery at airports, citing concerns about exceeding permissible waiting times. The directive comes after months of monitoring baggage arrival times at major airports.

Air India, IndiGo, Akasa, SpiceJet, Vistara, Air India Express Connect, and Air India Express have been instructed to ensure that the last checked-in baggage is delivered within 30 minutes of arrival, as per Operation, Management, and Delivery Agreement (OMDA) standards.

Airlines have been given a deadline of 10 days, until February 26, to implement these measures.

BCAS initiated a monitoring exercise in January 2024 to track the arrival time of baggage at belt areas in six major airports. The review revealed that while performance has improved, it still falls short of the mandated standards.

The OMDA mandates stipulate that the first bag should arrive at the belt within 10 minutes of engine shutdown, with the last bag arriving within 30 minutes.

While the monitoring exercise is currently concentrated at six major airports, the BCAS has directed airlines to ensure compliance with mandated standards across all airports they operate in.