Get Ready For Quick Baggage Pickup: Indian Airports Promise 10-Minute Arrival - Here's How

One of the most tiresome aspects of air travel is the prolonged wait time at the baggage conveyor belt to retrieve luggage.

Due to the delays in baggage deliveries at airports in India, a stern warning has been issued to the top seven airlines by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the security wing of the Civil Aviation Ministry, asking them to streamline their baggage handling procedures or face strict action.

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The warning letter

In a letter dated 16 February, errors in obeying rules were pointed out by the BCAS to top airlines. According to ANI, the new regulations by the BCAS state, "The delivery of passengers' baggage within a timeframe of 10 to 30 minutes is required by the airlines as per the Service Quality Requirements of the Operation, Management, and Delivery Agreement (OMDA)."

The new regulations reportedly come with a deadline of 26th February 2024, and the authorities have given a 10-day window for their implementation. Strict action will be taken against those who fail to comply with the orders. The warning letter has been dispatched to IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet, Akasa, Air India Express Connect, Vistara, and Air India Express.

"As per an official quoted by Hindustan Times, the airlines have been issued a final warning in the form of a letter written on Friday. If an airline continues to delay the process of delivering baggage, the ministry will be compelled to take action against it."

Notably, the move comes after the time taken by airlines to clear passengers from the arrival halls of six major airports, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Chennai, was studied by the Civil Aviation security wing since January this year.

"A government official stated that the move to ensure baggage delivery on time will not only expedite the clearance of passengers, making room for others arriving at the hall but will also enhance airport security."

"As per the report, since the review exercise commenced, the performance of all airlines has been monitored every week, showing improvement but not meeting the mandates. However, BCAS has directed airlines to ensure that the mandated levels are achieved at all airports they operate in."

According to News18, the monitoring exercise was initiated by the Aviation Ministry's BCAS at the beginning of this year to ensure passengers do not have to deal with baggage delivery delays on conveyor belts.

Airport congestion at airports

From Mumbai to Delhi airports, congestion has been a major concern in India in the past year. To address the problem, various measures have been introduced by the government, especially after December 2022, when a sudden spike in passenger footfall was witnessed at Delhi and Mumbai airports, impacting many flyers who missed their flights.

In June 2023, the Self-Baggage Drop (SBD) facility was launched at Terminal 3 of the Delhi airport, as reported by the Economic Times. The passenger-friendly initiative aimed to streamline the baggage drop-off process, reduce the wait time for passengers by approximately 15-20 minutes, and further enhance the overall airport experience.

Strategic improvements have been worked on by Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, such as an increase in departure gates, the introduction of new technologies for faster security clearance, Digi Yatra, and an increase in manpower at airports.

A few lounges and commercial areas at the airports have even been removed by the minister to create space for passenger movements. "Space allocations for commercial activities are planned on the principle of 'to be on the way' and 'not in the way' to ensure smooth and natural flow of passengers," he said in December last year, as reported by HT.

Global Airport Situations: Insights into Passport Control and Baggage Handling

The average waiting time at Dubai International (DXB) departure passport control was reportedly less than five minutes for over 96 per cent of passengers in 2022, as per Khaleej Times. For arrivals, over 95 per cent of passengers experienced an average waiting time of less than 13 minutes at passport control queues.

DXB's baggage handling system processed a total of 62.2 million bags in 2022, boasting a success rate of 99.8 per cent. The airport operator stated, "In terms of baggage delivery on arrival, 92 per cent of all baggage was delivered within 45 minutes to our customers." The baggage volume in 2022 represented 86.2 per cent of the 2019 baggage volume at DXB.

According to PlanetWare, the average wait time across all US airports is approximately 10 minutes, with an average on-time performance of 81 per cent for all American flights since 2014.

Passengers visiting airports in Connecticut (2.8 minutes) and Mississippi (3.4 minutes) can expect minimal to no wait time, as per the report. Conversely, the John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York City has an average security wait time of around 23 minutes and a passport control wait time of about 25 minutes, as reported in the Readers Digest in August 2023.

Advancements for Seamless Travel

Electronic Terminals Implementation in Japan

• According to a report by Nikkei Asia, electronic terminals are being set up at country airports in Japan to process both immigration and customs information.
• The move aims to shorten the time needed to enter the country to as little as one minute.
• The programme will begin later this year at Haneda Airport in Tokyo and Kansai International Airport in Osaka.

Introduction of Biometric Passport Clearance

• Biometric passport clearance is becoming a growing trend at most airports.
• The biometric "Smart Gates" tunnels, which employ facial recognition to authenticate travelers' IDs in as little as five seconds, were launched in 2018 at Dubai International Airport.
• Singapore has announced plans to introduce automated immigration clearance starting this year, allowing passengers to depart the city-state without passports.

Global Adoption of Facial Recognition Technology

• Facial recognition technology is already in use at airports worldwide, including those at Hong Kong International Airport, Tokyo Narita, Tokyo Haneda, Indira Gandhi International in Delhi, London Heathrow, and Paris Charles de Gaulle.
• In October last year, Finland became the first country to test digital travel documents in partnership with Finnair, the Finnish police, and airport operator Finavia.

Implementation of High-Tech E-Gates in the UK

• The UK Home Office revealed plans to equip airports with new, high-tech e-gates featuring advanced facial recognition technology.
• Trials for the new e-gates will be conducted later this year.
• The aim is to establish an "intelligent border" that makes use of much more frictionless facial recognition, as stated by UK Border Force director-general Phil Douglas.