BCAS tells Indian carriers to deliver baggage within 30 minutes of landing

New Delhi: The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has directed 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.

This move is aimed at improving the overall passenger experience, addressing concerns about delays in baggage retrieval after flights.

In an official statement released on Sunday (Feb 18) , BCAS said it was crucial for timely baggage delivery and urged airlines to implement necessary measures to meet this requirement by February 26. 

The directive, issued on February 16, specifically applies to seven major airlines: Air India, IndiGo, Akasa Air, SpiceJet, Vistara, AIX Connect, and Air India Express.

BCAS had started a continuous monitoring exercise in January, assessing the time it takes for baggage to arrive at belts in six major airports. An official stated, “Since the beginning of the review exercise, the performance of all airlines has been monitored weekly. While there have been improvements, they have not fully met the mandates.” 

The mandates specify that the first piece of baggage should reach the baggage belt within 10 minutes of the aircraft engine being shut off, with the last bag following suit within 30 minutes.

While BCAS has been closely monitoring baggage arrival performance at six major airports since January 2024, it is evident that the improvements in airline performance have not completely aligned with the mandated standards. It is directing airlines to ensure that these standards are achieved not only at the monitored airports but at all airports they serve.

-B