Dr.Thomas (Special Correspondent)
The Bengaluru Airport is one of the busiest airports in the country.Every day,thousands of passengers travel via air and it’s the responsibility of the airport and airline management staff to make this a smooth and seamless process.
But recent controversies have sparked doubt over whether the airline staff at the Airport can successfully do so.
So what’s the major issue, and why does the Aviation Ministry need to take necessary action right now?
First,let’s talk about the location of the Bengaluru airport.Being over 40 km away from the main centre of the city, passengers travelling have to leave several hours before the time of the flight.
For instance,Koramangala is over one hour away from the airport,and if people consider traffic,it might take at least one and a half to two hours.
This means that passengers have to leave at least 5-5.5 hours before the flight.This is quite a pressure on them.
Now,Airport baggage check-in and security are major issues for many passengers as many have complained about the lack of assistance and support from the staff.
There have been several incidents last year where passengers were denied boarding only for being a few minutes late.
In May 2022,a woman suffered a severe panic attack where she collapsed on the floor because she was denied entry for being only 5 minutes late.
The airline refused to allow them to board the plane despite the woman and her family explaining to them that they could not hurry because the woman is diabetic and had a heart condition.
As per the rules,if a passenger is carrying luggage that is above 10 kg,they must put their luggage in for check-in and should arrive at the airport 2 hours prior.
Boarding usually stops 40 minutes to 1 hour before boarding time.At the Bengaluru airport,the CISF is so short-staff and unorganized that even if passengers check-in in on time, the security takes so long that they inevitably get delayed for boarding.
On February 2022,a young woman travelling from Delhi to Kolkata to meet her ailing grandparent was denied boarding for a similar reason.
Although she arrived 2.5 hours before take-off,her baggage check-in and security check took so much time that she reached the boarding gate and was denied entry.
To make matters worse,the airline boarding management tore her boarding pass, creating a scene and disrespecting the passenger.
Such inconsiderate behaviour causes major distress to passengers. Not only do they spend a lot of money,but they have destinations to reach, and be it for a holiday, work,or an emergency, a passenger’s reason to travel is always valid.
Many have started speculating that it is almost like a business strategy implemented by airline companies to earn more money.
The passengers,who are clearly in a lot of anxiety, are forced to take a different plane for which they have to pay.
They blamed the passengers for being late without understanding their reason or giving them the benefit of the doubt.
It is the responsibility of the passengers to reach the airport on time, but by no means can an airline company harass them just because they were unable to reach within the given time.
If there is still room to accommodate their request, the airline should cooperate and help the passengers board safely.
Each of these incidents is a testament to the ruthless,insulting,unempathetic and inconsiderate behaviour of airline management.
The Aviation Ministry must look into such matters with more seriousness and follow through with severe disciplinary actions.
They should ensure that the airport is adequately staffed by CISF security personnel at all times and no point should the airport be short-staffed.
They should also check whether unnecessary security checks are being taken place or not.They should also study such cases of harassment and take strict action against the airlines which engage in such unethical behaviour.
Finally, it’s essential to find out whether the airline is repeatedly engaging in such behaviour. Such incidents reflect the larger scam that’s affecting passengers everywhere.
By taking the right measures,the Aviation Ministry can help put an end to such unfortunate incidents.
