Air India Express Flight Reaches Patna without Luggage, Airline Says Rain Added Weight to Bags
In a bizarre incident, an Air India Express flight from Bengaluru landed at Patna airport without the passengers’ luggage, causing chaos and frustration among the travelers. The unexpected turn of events unfolded when passengers arrived at the baggage claim area, only to find that their checked-in luggage was nowhere to be found.
Videos that surfaced online showed airline officials and flyers arguing and shouting at each other after the announcement was made. The passengers, who had been eagerly waiting for their luggage, were left stunned and disbelieving after being told that their bags had been offloaded from the flight.
According to reports, the Air India Express flight IX-163 landed at Patna airport on Wednesday evening, carrying over 100 passengers from Bengaluru. However, when the passengers arrived at the baggage claim area, they were in for a rude shock. The luggage belt was empty, and there was no sign of their checked-in bags.
The airline staff allegedly told the passengers that their luggage had been offloaded from the flight due to an unusual weight gain caused by the rain. The rain, which had been lashing the city for several hours, had allegedly added weight to the cargo, making it impossible for the flight to carry the luggage.
The passengers were left fuming, with many of them taking to social media to express their anger and frustration. “Air India Express flight from Bengaluru to Patna lands without luggage! The airline’s excuse is that the rain caused the luggage to be offloaded! Can you believe it?” tweeted one passenger.
Another passenger, who wished to remain anonymous, told Republic World, “We were all eager to collect our luggage after a long flight. But when we arrived at the baggage claim area, we were shocked to find that our bags were missing. The airline staff told us that the rain had added weight to the cargo, and that’s why our luggage was offloaded. It’s ridiculous!”
The incident has left many passengers questioning the airline’s handling of the situation. “If the rain had caused the luggage to be offloaded, why wasn’t the passengers informed about it beforehand?” asked a passenger. “We were not told anything about the situation until we arrived at the baggage claim area. It’s unacceptable!”
Air India Express has faced criticism in the past for its poor handling of luggage-related issues. In 2020, the airline was in the news for a similar incident where a flight from Dubai to Kochi landed without the passengers’ luggage.
The airline has yet to issue a formal statement on the incident, but sources close to the matter have confirmed that the airline is working to resolve the issue and ensure that the passengers’ luggage is delivered to them as soon as possible.
In the meantime, passengers who were affected by the incident are being advised to contact the airline’s customer service department to report the issue and seek assistance.
The incident highlights the importance of effective communication between airlines and passengers, particularly when it comes to issues such as luggage handling. Airline staff should be trained to handle situations like this with empathy and transparency, and passengers should be kept informed about any issues that may arise during their travel.
As the investigation into the incident continues, passengers affected by the incident are left to wonder how such a situation could have occurred, and what measures the airline will take to prevent similar incidents in the future.
