Chaos And Confusion Hits Delhi Airport As Passenger Bags Get Misplaced!

Long weekend travel plans took a hit on Thursday evening at the Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, after a failure in the baggage handling system. This resulted in thousands of misplaced bags which led to chaos at check-in counters causing a few flights to get delayed.

According to the Delhi International Airport Limited(DIAL), the delays were caused by an increased number of check-ins of dangerous goods, such as power banks and lighters in the checked-in luggage of passengers. One of the other reasons for this chaos was the increase in the number of passengers travelling during this long weekend. The check-in rate rose by about 30 percent which is higher than usual rate.

The security at the airport has to physically check for prohibited items and remove them. Due to the increase in the number of passengers carrying such items, the security clearance process slowed down and caused this issue at the Delhi International airport.

There was a lot of activity on twitter where passengers took to the social media site expressing their grievances. Airlines posted on twitter as well explaining that the situation was out of their control. Apologising for the inconvenience, Vistara Airline tweeted, “We would like to inform you that Delhi airport has been facing challenges with the baggage handling system post check-in. All airlines and hundreds of bags have been impacted and not being loaded onto flights.”

The tweet also said that the airline has taken this matter up with Delhi airport officials and will soon start probing into the issue.

Items like power banks, e-cigarettes and loose lithium batteries are prohibited in the checked-in luggage due to chances of them catching fire in the baggage hold. In fact, on 22nd March a Vistara Flight from Delhi to Hyderabad had to return because a passenger who forgot to remove his power bank at the security check-in form his luggage.

To know exactly what items are prohibited in your check-in as well as hand baggage, We at AirWhizz have compiled a list of items you should avoid carrying with you on your next flight –

• Toxic Items such as such as poison, open alcohol bottles etc
• Weapons
• Flammable items such as lighters and matchbox
• Items containing kerosene or petrol
• Explosive items such as crackers and fireworks
• Items such as power banks, batteries, and acid

So, the next time you fly, download the AirWhizz App and get access to the different airline policies and baggage regulations to plan your trip accordingly. Become an aware flyer, travel like a pro and Fly Stress-Free!