2 weeks Ago By Joy Sengupta
1 2 Pune: At least 13 IndiGo flights were delayed and luggage belonging to around 100 outbound flyers was left behind at the city airport, after a technical snag hit the inline baggage screening system at the facility in the early hours of Sunday. Flyers reported a heavy rush at the IndiGo check-in counters between midnight and around 3am on Sunday. "Since IndiGo has the highest number of flights at Pune airport, their check-in queues were very long, and there was total chaos at the airport.
I tried to find out the reason and was told that the airport's inline baggage check-in system wasn't working. It took me close to an hour just to complete the check-in process," a flyer told TOI. An IndiGo official confirmed the issue, although the airline did not release any official statement on the incident.
"This happened due to the airport's inline baggage check-in system, which failed suddenly. This is not the first time it has happened. It has been occurring regularly and is a concern," the official told TOI.
Pune airport director Santosh Dhoke confirmed to TOI, "In the early hours of Sunday, there was a power fluctuation issue that affected the check-in system for a short while. However, we do have a standby check-in system that is immediately activated, and airlines should use it. The fact that passengers' luggage was left behind is the responsibility of the airline and not the airport authority.
" Another airport official mentioned that the closure of one of the terminals at the Delhi airport for maintenance work also affected flights to and from Delhi. "Delhi airport's T2 has been shut for repairs, and flights are operating from the other two terminals, thereby affecting the Delhi airport's capacity. There was a demand to reduce flights to Delhi, but we haven't allowed that.
However, due to this, Delhi-bound flights are getting delayed," the official said. There are a total of 14 arrivals and the same number of departures at the Pune airport between 12am and 2.50am.
The majority of the flights are operated by IndiGo to places like Delhi, Goa, Nagpur, Chennai, Chandigarh, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. A few days ago, passengers made similar complaints about long check-in queues for IndiGo during the same hours at the airport. Sandhya Agarwal, who was bound for Delhi and whose flight was delayed, said, "Both the airlines and the airport authorities need to work together.
Amidst all this, it is the flyer who faces hassles and troubles. We cannot be made to face such a situation in the late-night hours. Some concrete steps need to be taken," she said.
A flyer asked IndiGo in a post on X, "When will you get my luggage? It's been 14 hours and I still haven't received my luggage. Tomorrow, I have my interview and all my documents and clothes are in that bag. What kind of service experience is this from you and Pune airport.
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