Days after cancellations, hunt still on for missing bags at IGI

Amid the ongoing chaos at airports across India due to flight cancellations by airline operator IndiGo, passengers who had checked in for their flights continued to scramble in their search for their baggage at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on Saturday.

- Aaditya Khatwani

Many at the spot HT spoke to said their luggage was yet to be returned despite days elapsing since their check-ins.

“My Thursday flight to Chennai was cancelled but our luggage was already checked in. Yesterday (Friday), when we were allowed back inside to find our luggage, there were thousands of suitcases from different flights, all mixed together, in front of each belt. A huge crowd of people was there, all searching for their bags. It was impossible for us to find anything,” said Akshat Gautum, 42.

On Saturday afternoon, Gautum was one of hundreds who had been redirected to the arrival gate of Terminal | to find their luggage. People in the queue said they ended up here after being redirected to multiple spots across the airport.

“Twas going to visit my family in Patna on Wednesday, carrying medicine I had brought specially for my father, from a central government health service centre. Its medicine which is not sold in Patna. Our flight was cancelled after being delayed multiple times, and the authorities told us that we will have to come the next day to collect our luggage. I came on Thursday and Friday, but have not been able to find the luggage yet. I do not know what I'll do now,” said 32-year-old Kumar Vivek, another person who was in the queue.